Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is calling on Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell to either prove he’s able to fulfill his duties after a long hospital stay or resign from office.
Read more 5-month-old dead in Hockley after reports they were unresponsive
Beshear made the demand in a letter after McConnell’s office said Monday that he’s not medically cleared to leave the rehabilitation facility where he’s doing physical therapy.
Beshear to McConnell: Prove you’re fit to serve
What they’re saying:
“I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,” Beshear wrote to McConnell.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear greets Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, and his wife, former U.S. secretary of labor and transportation Elaine Chao, at the annual St. Jerome Fancy Farm Picnic in Fancy Farm, Kentucky, on Aug. 5, 2023. (R
Beshear also sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, urging him to investigate McConnell’s condition if the senator doesn’t demonstrate that he is capable of continuing to serve.
It’s the second time Beshear has called on McConnell to be more transparent: In early July, Beshear, a Democrat who’s widely considered a potential presidential candidate in 2028, urged McConnell to release more information. The formal letter Beshear sent this week is a big escalation.
The other side:
McConnell and Thune’s offices did not comment on the letter when asked by The Associated Press.
RELATED: Mitch McConnell’s wife releases statement as senator remains hospitalized
McConnell’s health questioned
The backstory:
McConnell, the longest serving Senate leader in history before he stepped down in 2025, was hospitalized June 14, but his office waited weeks to disclose that it was because of a fall. The lack of transparency led to wild speculation about the 84-year-old senator’s health and his capacity to serve.
Read more 8 arrested for trespassing private business for TikTok trend, Harris County constable says
According to the 911 call obtained by WLKY, a dispatcher reported a “cardiac arrest” at McConnell’s Washington, D.C. address around 8:30 a.m. June 14. The dispatcher called for a Medic 3, or a “highly trained advanced life support unit” with paramedics trained on advanced medical interventions.
RELATED: GOP lawmaker questions Mitch McConnell’s health: ‘Do you know that he’s alive? I don’t’
The dispatcher also said the person was “unconscious,” while a medic confirmed that CPR was in progress.
A few hours later, McConnell’s office announced that he was in the hospital “receiving excellent care,” but it would be nearly a month before McConnell released a statement with more information.
On July 12, McConnell said he was hospitalized because of a fall and mild pneumonia. He said he waited to disclose his condition because “folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older.”
RELATED: Senator Mitch McConnell breaks silence: ‘Mild pneumonia’ developed after fall
“Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct — I can’t help it,” he said.
What’s next:
It’s unclear if or when McConnell could return to the Senate. His office said he’ll miss upcoming Senate votes and a big political event in Kentucky.