Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky fell at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, according to media reports.
McConnell, 82, reportedly fell down a small set of stairs leaving the Senate and was later spotted in a wheelchair.
A spokesperson for Kentucky’s senior senator said McConnell is “fine.”
“The lingering effects of polio in his left leg will not disrupt his regular schedule of work,” the spokesperson told the Lantern.
McConnell took a couple of public falls in Washington last year. He also appeared to freeze while talking to reporters a couple of times. The occurrences sparked concern about the childhood polio survivor’s health.
McConnell became the longest serving Senate leader in U.S. history after stepping down from his leadership role in November, having led the GOP caucus for nearly two decades.
He has not announced if he plans to seek reelection in 2026.
His current term ends in January 2027.
State Rep. Pamela Stevenson, a Democrat from Louisville, recently filed papers to begin raising money for a U.S. Senate campaign in 2026.
This article is republished under a Creative Commons license from Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter.
McKenna Horsley covers state politics for the Kentucky Lantern. She previously worked for newspapers in Huntington, West Virginia, and Frankfort, Kentucky. She is from northeastern Kentucky.
