WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The Senate’s top two Republicans have spoken individually to Kentucky Sen. , according to aides, as the former GOP leader remains in the hospital more than three weeks .
Aides to McConnell have declined to release any information about his condition, fueling speculation about his prognosis and whether he will be healthy enough to be at the Capitol when the Senate returns to Washington next week after a two-week recess. McConnell, 84, is in January.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he had spoken with McConnell by phone on Monday and that the two had a 鈥渓engthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security.鈥� As leader, Thune is generally kept up to date on illnesses and absences in his conference as he has to navigate vote counts and his narrow 53-47 majority.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, had a 20-minute conversation with McConnell on Tuesday, according to a spokeswoman. The two discussed Senate races ahead of the midterm elections, the Supreme Court and other topics, the statement said.
鈥淪enator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate,鈥� said Barrasso spokeswoman Kate Noyes.
Another McConnell ally, Republican strategist Scott Jennings, posted on X that he had also talked to McConnell for 20 minutes on Tuesday, and that 鈥渉e鈥檚 still recovering in the hospital.鈥� Jennings said they spoke about politics, foreign policy 鈥渁nd even a little bit of Senate history.鈥�
Few details released as McConnell remains in the hospital
McConnell was on June 14, according to a statement from his office that only said he was 鈥渞eceiving excellent care.鈥�
A statement a week later said that he would not be voting that week. And on Thursday, a new statement said that he 鈥漚ppreciates the outpouring of support he鈥檚 receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital.鈥�
鈥淭he Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session,鈥� the statement said.
A spokesman for McConnell released the same statement again on Tuesday, with no new updates.
McConnell has a history of health troubles
The senator鈥檚 unspecified health issues come after several hospitalizations in recent years.
While he was still Republican leader, McConnell was with a concussion in March 2023 and missed several weeks of work after falling in a Washington hotel. He twice froze up during news conferences after he returned, staring vacantly ahead before colleagues and staff 鈥� including Barrasso, who is a doctor 鈥� came to his assistance.
A year later, he while walking out of a GOP luncheon.
McConnell had polio in his early childhood and he has long acknowledged some difficulty as an adult in walking and climbing stairs. He also tripped and fell in 2019 at his home in Kentucky and underwent surgery for a fractured shoulder.
The Kentucky senator was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and was the Republican leader from 2007 , serving as both majority and minority leader during that period. He has remained active as a rank-and-file senator, showing up for work when the chamber is in session, often using a wheelchair to get around.
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