Jeff Mordock (The Washington Times)
Sen. Mitch McConnell, 84, was hospitalized Sunday for an undisclosed health issue, his office announced.
“Senator McConnell was admitted to the hospital this morning,” spokesperson David Propp said in a statement. “He is receiving excellent care.”
Mr. Propp did not provide more information about Mr. McConnell’s condition or why he was hospitalized.
The Kentucky Republican, who formerly served as Senate majority leader, is the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history. He was first elected as a senator in 1984 and became the Republican leader in the Senate in 2007, a post he held until 2025.
Mr. McConnell, who is not seeking reelection, has experienced a number of health issues over the past few years.
He was hospitalized for over a week earlier this year after experiencing “flu-like symptoms.” In 2023, Mr. McConnell tripped at a Washington dinner event and was later hospitalized with a concussion and in 2019, he fractured his shoulder after falling at his home.
Mr. McConnell has also raised questions about his mental fitness for office after he froze several times on camera in the middle of speaking and didn’t immediately respond to questions.
He has also been spotted this year using a wheelchair to get around the Capitol complex after sustaining a fall.
Several elected officials in Washington in recent years have faced questions about their mental and physical fitness for office as they’ve aged.
Former President Joe Biden ended his 2024 reelection bid in mid-campaign after concerns about his mental fitness surged following an infamous debate against then-former President Donald Trump.
And on Capitol Hill, the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, faced questions about her mental and physical abilities for several months before she died in 2023 at the age of 90.
In the current Congress, only Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa Republican, at 92 and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vermont independent, at 84, are older than Mr. McConnell.
