Sen. Mitch McConnell is “perfectly capable” of leading his GOP caucus — even after the 81-year-old froze in public last week for the second time in as many months, Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said.
“Mitch is sharp, and he’s witty. He understands what needs to be done,” Rounds told CNN on Sunday of the Senate minority leader from Kentucky. “I will leave it up to him how he wants to discuss it with the American public. But there is no doubt in my mind that he is absolutely capable of continuing at this level of the game.”
Concerns have been raised about the health of the longest-serving Republican Senate leader in history after he froze and became unresponsive for several minutes during press conferences in July and August.
The latest troubling incident comes directly after a reporter’s question about whether McConnell will run for re-election in 2026. He has led Republicans in the upper house since 2007.
Capitol Attending Physician Dr. Brian Monahan last week cleared McConnell to return to work after consultation, saying the Kentucky Republican had a headache, potentially from a concussion and dehydration.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) said Sunday that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) remains “perfectly capable” of leading his caucus after two unsettling public shutdowns.AP
Concerns are mounting over the health of the Senate’s longest-serving Republican leader in history after he became frozen and unresponsive during press conferences in July and August. via REUTERS
The latest incident came after a reporter’s question about whether McConnell would run for re-election in 2026. Getty Images
McConnell suffered a concussion after falling at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Washington, DC, in March. He fell again while exiting a plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in northern Virginia in July.
Representative McConnell has suggested the strange episodes in recent months are also due to dizziness.
Doctors who spoke to The Post said the Senate minority leader’s symptoms were more consistent with a partial seizure or mini-stroke.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who challenged McConnell for his leadership post last year, said he expected the senator to remain in his role for the rest of the term.
“Mitch is sharp, and he’s witty. He understands what needs to be done,” Rounds told CNN of the 81-year-old McConnell.AP
“At this stage of the game, I think he’s going to continue,” Rounds added of the Senate minority leader.Getty Images
“He’s got a good team around him,” Rounds said. “He has done a good job of developing that leadership team. They have supported him.”
But some Senate Republicans have considered holding an emergency meeting to discuss the matter after returning from the August recess Tuesday, Politico has reported.
Rounds dismissed such talk.
“There are a lot of people out there who want to see him go, but that’s because he’s a very capable leader,” Rounds told CNN’s Dana Bash. “He’s one of those types of guys that if you can get him out of a leadership role early on, you’re probably going to be in a better position if you’re his competitor.
“At this stage of the game, I think he’s going to keep going,” Rounds said.
McConnell ally and CNN contributor Scott Jennings also said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he “watches football with [McConnell] Friday, he had a great weekend, and can’t wait to get back to Washington.”
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