Sen. Mitch McConnell freezes again at Northern Kentucky event

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, once again froze up for a prolonged period of time in response to a question at a press conference in Northern Kentucky Wednesday.

McConnell, 81, fell silent for more than 30 seconds following a reporter’s question at a Covington lunchtime event. This comes one month after a much-publicized similar freeze up in Washington took place, when McConnell was escorted away from a press conference, later returning and telling reporters “I’m fine.”

In Covington, a reporter asked McConnell what his thoughts were about running for re-election in 2026. McConnell asked the reporter to repeat the question, then after a moment of pause, Robbin Taylor, McConnell’s state director, repeated the question to the senator.

McConnell did not speak in response to the question for more than 30 seconds.

The press conference resumed after the pause, with a staffer repeating the questions to McConnell. He answered questions about Republican Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron, who has a long history with McConnell including working in his office, and former Republican president Donald Trump’s various indictments.

McConnell has previously dodged questions about his plans to run for another term in 2026.

In response to questions about the incident, a McConnell spokesperson said “Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today.”

After a second freeze up, here’s a look at McConnell’s health issues in the last year

A McConnell aide told the Herald-Leader that, while he feels fine, McConnell will consult a physician before his next event “as a prudential measure.”

The Senator, first elected to his post in 1984, was also hospitalized in March after sustaining a concussion from a fall during a GOP fundraiser.

Following public speculation about McConnell’s health in the wake of his first freeze-up, the Senate minority leader has made several public appearances in Kentucky, including speakings at marquee political events like Fancy Farm and the Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast.

McConnell gave a rousing speech before the main Fancy Farm event at a GOP breakfast in Graves County earlier this month, his first major public appearance in Kentucky after the initial freeze up. At Fancy Farm, a raucous event where members of the crowd jeer political speakers at the top of their lungs, McConnell was at times drowned out but showed some energy in his jokes and boasts at the podium.

McConnell’s team insisted, following the first freeze up, that he intended to serve his full term as Senate GOP leader, which lasts through 2024, and as U.S. Senator, which would last until 2026.

Questions about McConnell’s health following both the incident in Northern Kentucky and the freeze up in Washington prompted some revisiting of a McConnell-backed law that ensures governors would appoint a successor of the same party of any Kentucky U.S. Senator who vacated their post. Both Kentucky Senators, McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul, are Republicans. The state legislature has been controlled by Republican majorities in both chambers since 2017. That law, passed in 2021, was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear but was overridden by the legislature.

However, multiple Democrats in Kentucky have predicted that Beshear is likely to challenge the replacement law, should it be needed, by either appointing someone of his choosing, not appointing, or challenging the law through the courts. Beshear has not directly answered questions on what course of action he would take if a vacancy were to occur.

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, called McConnell “a good friend” when asked about the incident. He said Wednesday that he planned to reach out to McConnell’s team “later this afternoon.”

The story will be updated.