Photo: Alamy
Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell was admitted to a hospital Sunday, according to a statement from his spokesperson, though no details were immediately released about the reason for his hospitalization or his condition.
“Senator McConnell was admitted to the hospital this morning. He is receiving excellent care,” spokesperson David Popp said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear whether McConnell, 84, was hospitalized in Washington, his home state of Kentucky, or another location.
McConnell stepped down last year as the Senate’s Republican leader after becoming the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history. His current term is set to expire in January.
The senator’s health has drawn increasing public attention in recent years.
In December 2024, McConnell sprained his wrist after falling while leaving a Republican luncheon. In 2023, he suffered a concussion after falling at a Washington hotel and was absent from the Senate for several weeks.
Later that year, McConnell experienced two highly publicized episodes during press conferences in which he briefly froze and stared silently before aides and colleagues assisted him.
McConnell contracted Poliomyelitis as a child and has long acknowledged difficulties with walking and climbing stairs. He also suffered a fractured shoulder after a fall at his Kentucky home in 2019.
He has at times used a wheelchair while navigating the United States Capitol and is routinely accompanied by a security detail provided to former congressional leaders.
Despite those health issues, McConnell has remained active in the Senate. He continues to attend sessions regularly and recently chaired hearings as head of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense.
McConnell ranks among the longest-serving senators in U.S. history. When he leaves office, he will tie former Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah for seventh place on the all-time list.
Last month, Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) secured the Republican nomination to replace McConnell and is set to face former Kentucky state Rep. Charles Booker (D) in the November election.