Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called on Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to resign unless he can verbally address his constituents and demonstrate his ability to serve in office.
“I am addressing this letter to Senator McConnell under the assumption that he is capable of reading and responding verbally, and not incapacitated by means of consciousness or cognition. If the Senator is unable to respond for either of those or other conditions, consider this letter a demand for his Senate staff to be honest and transparent with the people of Kentucky,” a letter to McConnell and his staff read.
“I understand anyone’s desire for privacy, but when you run for office and serve as one of a state’s two U.S. senators, you willingly abdicate much of your personal privacy. That’s the deal, and we all know it when we run,” it continued.
“I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,” it added.
KY Governor Andy Beshear sends new letter to McConnell: “I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign.” pic.twitter.com/JYjXCtNsUi
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) July 28, 2026
Full letter:
Axios shared further:
Under Kentucky law, Senate vacancies — which can occur due to resignation, expulsion or death — are filled by a special election.
McConnell will retire after his term ends in January 2027.
The letter, dated Monday, is the second that Beshear has sent to the senator’s office requesting updates on his health.
McConnell is still recovering from a June fall at his home, according to a Monday statement from Congress’ physician’s office, which was released alongside a statement from the senator and a photo of him and his wife.
The physician said McConnell has undergone “strenuous” physical therapy and rehabilitation, adding that the senator’s childhood bout with polio plays a “significant factor in his mobility.”
“I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders. Unfortunately, that means I won’t be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky this Saturday,” a statement from McConnell’s office on Monday read.
“There’s no place I’d rather be on the first Saturday in August than with the good people of western Kentucky, feasting on pork and mutton. When I first attended forty-two years ago, Fancy Farm was a pretty lonely place to be a Republican. But, my, how times have changed. Today, western Kentucky is a conservative Republican sea of red. So I hate that I’ll miss the fun this year, but I’m sending my best wishes to the St. Jerome community for a successful picnic,” it continued.
“As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon,” it added.
JUST IN – Mitch McConnell releases new proof-of-life photo, and statement, in an email from his press office. pic.twitter.com/grIcjrAjHb
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 27, 2026
CNN has more:
In many states, the governor is empowered to fill a Senate seat before a special election is held, but the state’s Republican-dominated legislature has taken steps in recent years to reduce Beshear’s power.
In 2021, the Kentucky legislature passed a law requiring the governor to appoint a replacement from a list of candidates provided by the outgoing senator’s party. Then, in 2024, they went even further and removed the governor’s ability to name a replacement at all, requiring the office to only be filled by a special election.
However, it’s possible this law violates the state constitution, which gives the governor broad power to fill vacancies in “all offices for the State at large.” Complicating the matter further is the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution, which gives state legislatures the power to allow governors to appoint temporary replacements.
University of Kentucky law professor Joshua Douglas called it a “contradiction,” which may have to be resolved by the courts.
“The 17th Amendment [says] the legislature may authorize the Governor to appoint a temporary replacement, the Kentucky Constitution says the Governor appoints, and the Kentucky legislature says there must be a special election,” he said in an email to CNN.
It’s also possible the seat just remains empty until the start of the next term. While the new law says the governor “shall” call a special election, it doesn’t appear to require him to do so within a certain period of time.
What are your thoughts?