Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell appeared to briefly freeze up and was unable to answer a question from a reporter at an event in Kentucky on Wednesday.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., listens as President Joe Biden speaks before a meeting to discuss the debt limit in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in Washington.
A woman standing at the front of the room with McConnell asked him whether he heard the question and she repeated it. When McConnell did not answer, she announced to the room that “we’re going to need a minute.” McConnell eventually answered two additional questions — though not the one about a 2026 campaign — and was halting and appeared to have some difficulty speaking. The woman then ended the news conference and McConnell left the room, walking slowly.
McConnell's reaction was similar to the time when he froze for about 20 seconds at a news conference in the Capitol in late July. He went back to his office with aides and then returned to answer more questions.McConnell’s health and whether the Kentucky Republican, who was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and has served as GOP leader since 2007, will remain in his leadership post.
His office said afterward that McConnell was feeling “momentarily lightheaded" and would see a physician before his next event. Similarly, after the July episode, aides said McConnell was lightheaded and McConnell told reporters several hours later that he was “fine.” Neither McConnell or his aides have given any further details about what happened.
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