All articles tagged with #kentucky politics
Senator Mitch McConnell, hospitalized since mid-June, did not attend Fancy Farm’s iconic picnic in western Kentucky, marking his first absence in decades and prompting chants of “Where’s Mitch?” as Republicans and voters navigated his health and looming retirement while other candidates looked to capitalize on the event.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in an interview that two agencies, not state ones, told him Mitch McConnell had died while he was hospitalized; he did not name or date the calls. McConnell has been hospitalized since June after a fall, with doctors later saying he developed pneumonia but did not suffer a heart attack, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage. Beshear urged McConnell to provide a public health update amid ongoing questions about his condition, while McConnell has said he intends to return to the Senate, with no timetable given.
Amid a June 14 fall and ongoing health concerns, questions surround who would replace Mitch McConnell if he cannot finish his term. Kentucky’s 2024 law now requires a special election—not gubernatorial appointment—to fill Senate vacancies, likely delaying any replacement beyond the November midterms and potentially inviting legal challenges. The seat is up for grabs in November between Democrat Charles Booker and Republican Andy Barr, with implications for Senate control and key votes.
After Rep. Thomas Massie lost the Kentucky 4th District GOP primary, supporters floated write‑in or independent campaigns, but Kentucky law bars running in the general for the same office after a primary defeat; Massie could still pursue a write‑in for the U.S. Senate if he files a declaration by Aug. 24, but cannot run as a write‑in or as an independent for the 4th District due to sore‑loser and party‑registration rules.