Mitch McConnell will serve full term and rejects health concerns
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, who is now 81, says he will finish his term in response to concerns about his fitness to stay in the Senate amid his recent freeze-up during a news conference in Washington, DC.
On March 8, McConnell tripped at a Washington dinner and was admitted to a hospital due to a concussion. He returned to the Senate in April and has frozen up twice in public since then: once in Capitol Hill in July and most recently last Wednesday while speaking to reporters in Kentucky, his home state.
During the event in Kentucky, he appeared unable to speak for about half a minute after a reporter asked him whether he planned to run for re-election in 2026. Many were sceptical about McConnell's health and ability to lead Senate Republicans.
McConnell has served as Senate majority leader from 2015 to 2021 and as Senate minority leader since then. He said that he plans to serve the rest of his two-year term as party leader and his six-year term in office.
Regarding two public letters in which the congressional physician discussed possible causes of McConnell's freezes, one of the letters said McConnell may be suffering the after-effects of the concussion or from dehydration.
The second letter answered speculations about McConnell's health, saying he was not suffering from a "seizure disorder", a stroke or a "movement disorder such as Parkinson's disease", according to brain MRI imaging, an EEG study and consultations with neurologists.
However, there are signs of growing uncertainty in Senate Republican ranks about the assurances stated in the letter.
Rand Paul, Republican senator and former practising ophthalmologist, expressed his doubts about the letter, stating: "When you get dehydrated you don't have moments when your eyes look in the distance with a vacant look and you're sort of basically unconscious with your eyes open. That's not a symptom of dehydration."
The former Auburn University football coach said: "In my profession, I've seen kids really struggle for a long time after concussions."
"That's the reason you don't play them after that. You don't go back in the game until you're completely well. And it's obvious he's not completely well," he continued.
After being asked about his future during the conference, besides talking about the letters regarding his health status, McConnell added: "I'm going to finish my term as leader and I'm going to finish my Senate term'', with no intent to retire or step down.
However, West Virginia's Shelley Moore Capito told reporters that McConnell is not going to get every Republican to "fall in line", further saying that this "happens very rarely". Nonetheless, Capito is confident that the "vast majority of us are still very much in support".
Furthermore, When asked whether he would continue to support McConnell, Florida Senator Rick Scott – who lost against his competitor McConnell for party leader – said he "absolutely" would. Scott added that he believes McConnell "will continue to do his job".
McConnell did not express any signs of stepping down as he said: "One particular moment of my time back home has received its fair share of attention in the press... but I assure you August was a busy and productive month for me and staff back in the commonwealth."
Senator Susan Collins said she spoke to McConnell the day after the recent freezing incident and feels that he is "fully prepared" to handle his work.
Polls show most Americans think many politicians stay in their roles too long. Over 75 per cent think that at 80, Joe Biden is too old for a second term as president. However, while McConnell is part of the oldest Senate on record, he is nine years younger than the oldest senator, 90-year-old Dianne Feinstein.
Kaja Traczyk is a reporter for the International Business Times UK and a Journalism Undergraduate with experience in news writing, reporting, and researching.
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