A Republican lawmaker has called on Mitch McConnell to step down amid mounting concerns over his health.
South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, 48, didn’t mince words as she addressed the mysterious health battle of the 84-year-old Kentucky senator, who was hospitalized after he was found unconscious in his home on June 14 and hasn’t been seen since.
“If McConnell is in as bad a shape as Biden ever was — or worse — he needs to step aside. This charade can’t continue,” Mace wrote in an X post on Thursday.
“We can’t demand of others what we won’t demand of ourselves,” she added.
The senator’s team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
McConnell may have suffered a heart attack, according to an emergency personnel call first obtained by independent journalist Desirée Townsend. The June 14 call detailed an emergency dispatch to McConnell’s Washington, D.C. home, where first responders were told of “CPR in progress” due to “cardiac arrest.”
McConnell’s office has kept a tight lid on his health, frequently reusing its July 2 statement that read, “Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital. The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”
Earlier on Thursday, another Republican lawmaker said he wasn’t even sure if McConnell is still alive.
Indiana Rep. Marlin Stutzman told NewsNation that he had not heard from McConnell as he demanded transparency.
“I think it’s a question that Republicans should be asking because he does represent the state of Kentucky,” Stutzman said on Morning in America. “His constituents deserve answers where he is at.”
“As a Republican, I think we need to hold our own party accountable, so the fact that we haven’t heard anything really from Sen. McConnell is very discouraging and concerning,” he added.
Stutzman said he hasn’t received any information indicating that McConnell is still alive.
“The things that I’ve heard and seen from some friends are that he’s obviously not doing well, but I don’t know if he’s alive or has passed away,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Whip John Barrasso, and former McConnell aide-turned-CNN panelist Scott Jennings have all released statements claiming that they had spoken with the ailing senator this week.
“Senator Barrasso and Senator McConnell had a lengthy conversation early this afternoon. Their phone call lasted roughly 20 minutes,” communications director Kate Noyes said. “Senator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate.”
