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Update On McConnell Is Not Good

Update On McConnell Is Not Good

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was discharged from a Washington hospital on Monday and will be undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation facility.

The 81–year–old Kentucky senator, first elected in 1984, suffered a fall last week at a dinner event and was later admitted to the hospital for treatment of a concussion and minor rib fracture.

McConnell’s office said in a statement that his recovery is proceeding well and will require him to miss the Senate’s return to Washington this week. A senior Senate Republican aide suggested McConnell could be in rehab for up to two weeks.

The Republican leader has long been a powerful figure in Washington, and his absence comes at a critical juncture in negotiations with President Joe Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over the nation’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling.

Independent experts view McConnell as a skilled negotiator who could broker a compromise deal in an emergency. His legislative skills, which have torpedoed many Democratic initiatives over the years, could prove critical in finding a solution.

McConnell is currently serving his seventh six–year term, which runs through 2026. Democrats, including three independents who vote with them, currently hold a 51–49 majority in the Senate, when all senators are present.

McConnell has long been criticized by Democrats, particularly for his tactics that allowed Republicans to build a 6–3 conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court, including having the Senate refuse to consider a 2016 nomination to the high court by then–President Barack Obama.

McConnell’s hospitalization came amid the latest showdown between Republicans and the Biden administration over the debt ceiling. While the Republican leader is recuperating, his colleagues in the Senate majority will have to carry the load without him. His presence will certainly be missed. 

Written by J. Lynne - March 14, 2023