Mitch McConnell ‘Falls’ In Senate, EMTs Provide Treatment

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly experienced a fall during a Senate lunch on Tuesday, prompting the arrival of medical staff equipped with a wheelchair to assist him. According to Republican Senator John Barrasso, the incoming whip, McConnell is “fine,” as reported by the Daily Mail.

The outgoing Republican leader in the Senate has faced several health challenges in recent years.

The contest for Senate GOP leadership has officially reached its conclusion.

On the first ballot, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) was eliminated in the bid to replace Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). A secret vote conducted on Wednesday morning revealed that none of the three candidates achieved the majority required to secure victory. This necessitated a second round of voting, where the candidate with the fewest votes would be eliminated under conference rules.

Senators John Thune (R-SD) and John Cornyn (R-TX) advanced, while Scott was ruled out. Ultimately, after the second round of voting, Thune emerged as the new Senate Republican leader.

Earlier this year, McConnell reaffirmed his commitment to the Senate, stating that he is “not leaving the Senate” and is intent on countering the “isolationist movement” within the Republican Party.

In an interview with WHAS radio host Terry Meiners, McConnell reiterated his intention to use his remaining time to oppose colleagues advocating for reduced U.S. support of foreign allies such as Israel and Ukraine. “I’m not leaving the Senate,” McConnell declared, emphasizing his dedication to “fighting back against the isolationist movement in my own party.”

McConnell highlighted the U.S. financial support for Ukraine’s efforts against Russia, describing the issue as emblematic of broader policy disputes. “The symbol, lately, is ‘are we gonna help Ukraine or not?’ And I think it’s extremely important that we do that,” he said.

Meiners noted criticism from Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul, who has argued that McConnell is disconnected from the views of their constituents. McConnell responded, “Paul would be the first one to say that he’s an isolationist. He has been all along. This is not anything new for him. And he and I have always disagreed on this kind of issue.”

What McConnell found “more troublesome,” however, was that other Republicans appear to be aligning with isolationist views. “We’re not losing any of our troops; the Ukrainians are the ones doing the fighting. If the Russians take Ukraine, some NATO country would be next, and then we will be right in the middle of it,” he warned.

Growing frustration with McConnell’s leadership style has led some GOP senators to prepare for a post-McConnell era, expressing confidence that his successor will adopt a more collaborative approach. According to The Daily Caller, McConnell’s insular leadership is seen as outdated in today’s political climate.

In February, McConnell announced his decision to step down as Senate Republican leader in November while continuing his Senate term through January 2027. He noted that this change would allow him to serve “albeit from a different seat in the chamber.”

The announcement came amidst criticism of his efforts to secure additional aid for Ukraine without securing border security concessions from Democrats.

Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and John Thune (R-SD) have formally declared their candidacies for the next GOP leadership role, while Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), who previously challenged McConnell in 2020, is reportedly considering another bid.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) told The Daily Caller that discussions are ongoing among the party’s anti-establishment wing about leadership succession. “No, we’ve had discussions, but I’ll leave it at that,” he said. Johnson appreciated McConnell giving a “heads-up” about his decision, noting, “So we have this time.”

Johnson praised Scott’s persistence, saying, “It was his tenacity that continued to schedule meetings with House members, week after week after week, really got us by the debt ceiling impasse. I’m not sure he gets enough credit for that.”