Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office said Thursday he was released from a rehabilitation center and is continuing his recovery at home.
“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business,” a statement from the former majority leader says.
The Kentucky Republican, 84, was hospitalized June 14 after a fall and subsequent pneumonia, and has missed weeks of votes in the Senate. That included a markup earlier Thursday in the Agriculture Committee, where he “voted by proxy.” But proxy voting doesn’t count toward advancing a bill to the full chamber floor, causing the farm bill the committee was working on to stall.
His statement did not note when he would return to work in the Senate, which is scheduled to return in mid-September after its August work period.
McConnell’s extended absence has raised concerns, including from Kentucky’s Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who on Monday worked to dispel online rumors Aug. 3 was the last day for him to call a special election if the seat became vacant.
“I know there are a lot of folks wondering about the significance of August 3 regarding a potential Senate vacancy. I want everyone to know that this date has no legal impact on my options should there be a vacancy this year,” Beshear posted to X. “Worth a reminder, right now, there’s one less vote for the SAVE Act, Trump’s war with Iran, or the potential replacement of a SCOTUS justice.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Gray News it had been “several weeks” since he and his predecessor had last spoken.
“There are, in this day and age, a lot of conspiracy theories and of course, with doctoring and AI and all that, there’s all kinds of stuff that gets done on social media,” Thune said when asked if people deserve more evidence McConnell is of sound body and mind. “I think, at the end of the day, those are issues that are between him and the people of Kentucky, the people he serves and represents.”
