On July 26th, 2023 Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had a medical episode while delivering a press conference. McConnell stopped speaking and stood motionless as he stared into the distance, not even blinking. Those around the senator looked worried as they led him off to the side while he looked confused. This unknown medical emergency follows reports of numerous falls by the 81-year-old and while the senator’s team claimed everything was alright and McConnell was as sharp as ever.
While McConnell’s condition remains unknown there have been talks about the senator resigning early - his term does not end for another few years.
But what happens if he steps down? How does he get replaced?
Well the governor of Kentucky is Democrat Andy Beshear. The state legislature is overwhelmingly Republican. Originally the governor had the power to fill any vacancies but state republicans, in an effort to curb the governor’s authority and prevent any opposing political party from gaining power, they passed a veto-proof bill, bill 228, that forces the governor to appoint a member of the party of the vacating senator. In this case it would be a republican.
Governor Beshear should opt to let the voters decide and refuse to appoint any replacement for McConnell, should he resign or die, just like what McConnell did to President Obama in refusing to even consider Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.
