A Republican congressman has publicly questioned the well-being of Senator Mitch McConnell, who has been hospitalized for over 25 days. Marlin Stutzman, a Republican from Indiana, stated he does not know if McConnell is alive and suggested that Republicans should be more transparent about the Kentucky senator's condition.
"I have not heard from him, and I think it's a question that Republicans should be asking because he does represent the state of Kentucky," Stutzman said Thursday on NewsNation. "His constituents deserve answers where he is at."
McConnell, 84, was hospitalized on June 14 and has not been publicly seen since. His office issued a statement this week indicating that the senator is recovering and continues to improve, working on Senate matters while the chamber is out of session. The statement noted McConnell's appreciation for the support he has received.
Stutzman drew a comparison between the situation surrounding McConnell and the public discourse regarding President Joe Biden's health during his presidency. "For years our party called on Democrats to be transparent on what was going on with Joe Biden," Stutzman posted on X. "we can all see something was off, and it took until he was under the national spotlight on a debate stage with Donald Trump for Democrats to admit what we Americans all saw clearly."
He added, "Republicans should be holding our own party accountable instead of tiptoeing around the truth."
South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace echoed similar sentiments on X, suggesting that if McConnell is in poor health, he should step aside. "If McConnell is in as bad a shape as Biden ever was — or worse — he needs to step aside," Mace wrote. "This charade can't continue. We can't demand of others what we won't demand of ourselves."
McConnell, who is not seeking re-election in the upcoming midterm elections, has experienced several health issues throughout his recent term. In February, he suffered a fall that left him reliant on a wheelchair. Prior to that, he had a fall in December 2024 that resulted in a sprained wrist and facial cuts.
He has also had notable public episodes of freezing, including a 30-second pause during a press conference in August 2023 when asked about seeking re-election. Weeks earlier, he had abruptly stopped mid-sentence at another press conference. These incidents have contributed to public and political scrutiny of his health.
McConnell, who has served as the longest-serving Republican leader in Senate history since entering the chamber in 1985, stepped down as GOP leader in 2024, with John Thune succeeding him. His retirement has opened his Kentucky seat, and Congressman Andy Barr is the Republican nominee in this year's general election.
The senator's situation has also highlighted a broader trend of aging lawmakers facing health challenges. Several other members of Congress have experienced health scares or died in office. These include Georgia Democrat David Scott, who died in April, and California Republican Doug LaMalfa, who died in January. In March, Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed a terminal diagnosis for Florida Republican Neal Dunn. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was hospitalized for lightheadedness last summer.