Is he or isn't he? Several people claim to have had recent substantive conversations with Mitch 'Weekend at Bernie's' McConnell, while his office refused to confirm or deny he's not brain dead after cardiac arrest June 14, insisting he is "continuing to improve." The odds of out of hospital cardiac arrest and recovery for an 80yo are very, very low.
An independent reporter named Desirée Townsend obtained the EMS scanner audio confirming paramedics performed CPR at McConnell's D.C. home on June 14. She's been posting commentary on twitter.
McConnell has been hospitalized for three straight weeks with no public explanation. His office has never said why he was admitted. His last vote was June 11. His wife Elaine Chao was photographed in Beijing meeting the Chinese vice president three days after her husband collapsed. She has not come home.
His daughter deactivated her X account.
From what I've read, Kentucky Republicans rewrote the state's succession law in 2024. If McConnell's seat opens, Beshear cannot appoint a replacement. A special election gets triggered instead unless... he can't finish his term after August 3, in which case the special election just rolls into the November midterms. Before August 3, the GOP has to hold a standalone race.
The election they may be trying to avoid is the GOP's nightmare. Thomas Massie, the Republican congressman who has become one of Trump's loudest critics, would be a heavy favorite to run and split the red vote wide open.