Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell drew new concerns about his health after he underwent another ‘freezing’ incident during an event in Kentucky.
“What are your thoughts on running for re-election?” a reporter asked McConnell.
“What’re my thoughts about what?” the GOP leader asked in response.
“What are your thoughts on running for re-election in 2026?” the reporter repeated.
McConnell started to respond but wound up staring blankly for several seconds before an aide appeared beside him and asked, “Did you hear the question, senator? Running for re-election in 2026?”
“I’m okay,” he told a second aide who appeared by his side. “Does anybody else have any questions? Please speak up,” the other aide said.
McConnell reportedly then answered a few questions, Fox News reported.
Mitch McConnell is two steps away from dying on camera as he answers questions about running for re-election.
Why don’t these people ever retire? pic.twitter.com/U449fVpNeQ
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) August 30, 2023
“Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today,” a McConnell spokesperson said.
Nevertheless, an aide told reporters, “While he feels fine, as a prudential measure, the Leader will be consulting a physician prior to his next event.”
“The long-standing GOP lawmaker previously froze for about 30 seconds during a news conference alongside other Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., a month ago. At the time, an aide told Fox News Digital he ‘felt light-headed and stepped away for a moment,'” Fox News reported Wednesday.
“Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze again while taking questions from reporters in Covington, KY. McConnell didn’t respond to a question on re-election. He had to be told the question by an aide. He did not respond for more than 30 secs,” NBC News reporter Ryan Nobles said. “At one point the aide asked the reporters for a minute.. McConnell then said ‘Ok’ and took two more questions. both of which had to be repeated to him by the aide.”
“The press gaggle came after McConnell gave a lengthy speech to a local group and took questions at the end without any trouble. He told the group that he expected a continuing resolution to deal with the budget situation and described it as a ‘pretty big mess,” he said.
McConnell underwent a similar incident in late July while he and other GOP senators were talking to the media on Capitol Hill.
“Hey Mitch, anything else you want to say? Or should we just go back to your office? Do you want to say anything else to the press?” Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said as he grabbed on to Sen. McConnell.
