McConnell’s absence leaves colleagues wondering on GOP’s future

Washington, Mar 20 (Prensa Latina) Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) extended absence from the Senate has stirred speculation among Republican senators over how much longer the 81-year-old senator will lead the Senate GOP conference, according to The Hill.

March 20, 2023
CDT15:36 (GMT) -0400

Published by: Pavel López Lazo

There’s no word yet on McConnell’s date of return, but some lawmakers expect he may not come back to the Senate until mid-April, after the two-week Easter and Passover recess.

The Kentucky senator fell on March 9 night after attending a private dinner at the Waldorf Astoria hotel and was hospitalized to be treated for a concussion.

McConnell was discharged last week and “will continue to recover in a rehabilitation center,” spokesman David Popp said in a statement.

First elected to Senate in 1984, McConnell had a similar mishap outside his Louisville City home in 2019 and then fractured a shoulder, resulting in a surgery.

In addition to McConnell, Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal.), 89, is recovering at home from a bout of shingles and her party colleague John Fetterman (D-Penn.), 53, was hospitalized at Walter Reed Medical Center for depression.

GOP senators say they expect either Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) or Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) to someday replace McConnell as leader and predict that either man would inspire a lot of confidence.

pll/mgt/dfm