All articles tagged with #senate vacancy
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has issued an ultimatum to Sen. Mitch McConnell, demanding he prove his capacity to serve or resign. McConnell has missed 46 votes since a June hospitalization. Beshear is pushing Senate leaders to investigate, while state officials dispute the legal process for filling a potential vacancy.
Sen. Mitch McConnell missed the 146th Fancy Farm picnic due to ongoing rehab after a June fall, prompting Gov. Andy Beshear to demand proof of his capacity to serve or resignation. McConnell, who has not voted since his hospitalization, confirmed his absence via statement, while Beshear warned that Senate leaders must act if the seat is deemed vacant.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Secretary of State Michael Adams are engaged in a legal dispute over how a potential Senate vacancy for Mitch McConnell would be filled. While Beshear argues the governor could appoint a replacement under state constitutional provisions, Adams insists a special election is legally required. The conflict has intensified as McConnell remains hospitalized and absent from the Senate, with Beshear demanding public proof of the senator's capacity to serve or his resignation.
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s remains were transported to South Carolina on July 29 for a public procession in Columbia and a private burial in Pickens County. Following a Washington D.C. memorial attended by President Trump and foreign leaders, the state ceremony featured a military caisson, a fighter jet flyover, and eulogies praising Graham’s bipartisan work ethic and local connections. His sister, Darline Graham, now faces a crowded special primary to fill his Senate seat.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has issued an ultimatum to Senator Mitch McConnell, demanding he publicly demonstrate his ability to serve or resign. This demand follows a week of limited communication from the 84-year-old senator, who remains in rehabilitation after a fall and pneumonia. Beshear argues that even medical statements do not confirm McConnell’s capacity to speak or reason. The dispute highlights tensions over Kentucky’s untested vacancy laws, which require a special election rather than a gubernatorial appointment, potentially leaving the seat empty until November.
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.
President Trump's nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin to lead Homeland Security will leave Oklahoma with an unexpected Senate vacancy. Under state law, Gov. Kevin Stitt would appoint Mullin's replacement, who cannot run in the next election, likely setting off a GOP-leaning race with potential contenders such as Reps. Kevin Hern, Stephanie Bice and former Speaker T.W. Shannon.
Kentucky lawmakers have passed a bill that would remove the Democratic governor's role in selecting a replacement for a U.S. Senate seat vacancy, instead calling for a special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term. The bill, which could take effect immediately if enacted into law, has been denounced by Governor Andy Beshear as driven by partisanship. The move comes amid speculation about the future of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell's seat, with McConnell leaving open the possibility of seeking another term in 2026.
The Kentucky House has passed a bill calling for a special election to fill any U.S. Senate vacancy in the state, effectively removing the Democratic governor's role in the decision. The move comes amid speculation about the future of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell's seat, following his announcement to step down from his leadership position. The governor has criticized the bill as driven by partisanship, and could potentially veto it, although Republicans hold a supermajority in the legislature. This legislation follows a previous measure that limited the governor's power to temporarily fill a Senate seat, and has sparked debate over the appropriate process for filling such vacancies.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has refused to commit to following a state law that would allow Republicans to choose a replacement for Senator Mitch McConnell if he were to leave Congress before the end of his term. Beshear stated that there is currently no Senate vacancy and that McConnell has expressed his intention to serve out his term. The governor's comments come amid increasing scrutiny of McConnell's health after he appeared to freeze up during recent news conferences. State laws regarding filling congressional vacancies vary, and Kentucky's General Assembly changed its procedures in 2021 to limit the governor's power in temporarily filling a Senate vacancy.