Andy Beshear Demands Update on Mitch McConnell’s Health ‘Direct From the Source’

Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is demanding an update on Sen. Mitch McConnell‘s (R-KY) health.

The Democrat sent a letter to McConnell’s office Wednesday, requesting more information about the long-serving senator’s current health.

The letter comes amid swirling social media speculation the politician is incapacitated — and competing claims from Republicans who say they spoke to McConnell in the last couple of days.

“Over the last several weeks, Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the current state of your health and wellbeing, and ability to hold office in the United States Senate,” Beshear wrote in the letter, which he posted to X.

“As Governor, I request that you fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status of your health. As public officeholders, we have made a commitment to our constituents to do our best to represent them and to always be transparent. I believe this requires clear communication about one’s ability to serve. We wish you a safe and speedy recovery,” the letter concluded.

“As Governor – and a fellow public official who understands the commitment we’ve made to the people we serve – I am requesting the Senator provide an update on his current health status,” Beshear said in a statement.

“Allowing speculation to continue in the media is not fair to the Senator or to Kentuckians, and my hope is that this provides him the opportunity to share the information in a transparent manner, direct from the source.”

McConnell, 84, was rushed to the hospital on June 14 after he was reportedly found unconscious in his home.

His office has repeatedly ignored specific questions about McConnell’s health, repeatedly issuing the same statement:

Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital. The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.

Beshear’s office cited the “limited information” shared by McConnell’s office and said it “has seen a rise in inquiries about the health status of the Senator.”

“Rather than contribute to the increased speculation unfolding in the media and public space, Gov. Beshear is reaching out directly to Sen. McConnell to make the request,” the governor’s statement read.

The controversy was dialed up to 11 earlier this week when President Donald Trump confidante Laura Loomer declared on  that McConnell was “brain dead” and not returning to the Senate — prompting Republicans, including Scott Jennings, Sen. Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), and Senate Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) to claim they’d spoken with him directly.

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough expressed curiosity at those claims, saying Wednesday on Morning Joe: “it seems every Republican on Capitol Hill or any right-wing person on television seemed to have talked to Mitch McConnell for 20 minutes.”

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