Posted on Aug 19, 2023
Sen. Mitch McConnell's health issues spotlight Kentucky's succession process
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The annual Fancy Farm church picnic is a quintessential Kentucky political tradition, but as people began flocking to the picnic grounds in the western part of the state earlier this month, many didn't know if Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would be making an appearance.
"I'm not a personal supporter of Mitch McConnell, but I have been concerned for his health and wellbeing," said Kristen Wilcox, a politically independent Fancy Farm attendee and president of Kentucky Moms For Medical Cannabis. "So I think it would be a good sign if he does make an appearance."
Wilcox was referring to recent health concerns for the influential GOP senator. At the end of July, McConnell abruptly froze mid-sentence for about 30 seconds during a Capitol Hill news conference. He also spent five days in the hospital in March for a concussion and minor rib fracture after a bad fall.
But McConnell did show up and face the raucous Fancy Farm crowd. The event is well-known for heckling, cheering and general commotion from the audience. McConnell spoke for a couple minutes to both applause and jeers.
"Elaine and I are really excited to be back at Fancy Farm on behalf of the strongest Republican team we've ever run in our state. For those of you who keep count, this is my 28th Fancy Farm," McConnell said.
"I'm not a personal supporter of Mitch McConnell, but I have been concerned for his health and wellbeing," said Kristen Wilcox, a politically independent Fancy Farm attendee and president of Kentucky Moms For Medical Cannabis. "So I think it would be a good sign if he does make an appearance."
Wilcox was referring to recent health concerns for the influential GOP senator. At the end of July, McConnell abruptly froze mid-sentence for about 30 seconds during a Capitol Hill news conference. He also spent five days in the hospital in March for a concussion and minor rib fracture after a bad fall.
But McConnell did show up and face the raucous Fancy Farm crowd. The event is well-known for heckling, cheering and general commotion from the audience. McConnell spoke for a couple minutes to both applause and jeers.
"Elaine and I are really excited to be back at Fancy Farm on behalf of the strongest Republican team we've ever run in our state. For those of you who keep count, this is my 28th Fancy Farm," McConnell said.
Sen. Mitch McConnell's health issues spotlight Kentucky's succession process
Posted from wvxu.org
United States Senate
Tradition
Posted 9 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."How vacancies are filled in Kentucky
For most of Kentucky history, the governor simply appointed someone until the next election. The 17th Amendment of the Constitution set up the direct election of senators by the electorate. It also said state legislatures may empower their governors to appoint one in the case of a vacancy. That's what happens in most states and it's happened seven times in Kentucky's history.
But in March 2021, the state's legislature, backed by McConnell, put in place a new system. The party of the vacating senator furnishes the governor with a list of three options. And the governor may then pick someone off of that list.
Tres Watson, a Republican political consultant and former Kentucky state GOP communications director, said the system is designed so the incoming senator has similar views as the departing one.
"Voters deserve to have someone who has similar viewpoints to them appointed, rather than, you know, allowing a Democratic governor to appoint a Democrat to the seat who doesn't reflect those views at all," he said.
Watson said Republicans in the state were spooked by Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who has often been at odds with the state's overwhelmingly Republican statehouse on issues like abortion and transgender rights. Some Republicans, Watson said, perceive Beshear as unwilling to compromise with the state's legislators.
"Voters of Kentucky overwhelmingly chose Mitch McConnell in that seat," Watson said, referring to McConnell's nearly 20-percentage-point win over Amy McGrath in 2020. "Andy Beshear has not necessarily worked very well with this legislature. And so I think there was some concern there that there wouldn't be that sort of collaboration."
Only six states have adopted this system besides Kentucky: Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming. And even among those states, only one governor has been required by the law to select a senator of the opposite party — when Democratic Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal selected Republican Sen. John Barrasso from a list of three in 2007.
Vikram Amar — a distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Davis, who specializes in constitutional issues — said this type of limitation on a governor's appointment power hasn't been challenged in court yet.
According to Amar, the 17th Amendment was created expressly to remove senatorial appointment power from state legislatures."...
..."How vacancies are filled in Kentucky
For most of Kentucky history, the governor simply appointed someone until the next election. The 17th Amendment of the Constitution set up the direct election of senators by the electorate. It also said state legislatures may empower their governors to appoint one in the case of a vacancy. That's what happens in most states and it's happened seven times in Kentucky's history.
But in March 2021, the state's legislature, backed by McConnell, put in place a new system. The party of the vacating senator furnishes the governor with a list of three options. And the governor may then pick someone off of that list.
Tres Watson, a Republican political consultant and former Kentucky state GOP communications director, said the system is designed so the incoming senator has similar views as the departing one.
"Voters deserve to have someone who has similar viewpoints to them appointed, rather than, you know, allowing a Democratic governor to appoint a Democrat to the seat who doesn't reflect those views at all," he said.
Watson said Republicans in the state were spooked by Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who has often been at odds with the state's overwhelmingly Republican statehouse on issues like abortion and transgender rights. Some Republicans, Watson said, perceive Beshear as unwilling to compromise with the state's legislators.
"Voters of Kentucky overwhelmingly chose Mitch McConnell in that seat," Watson said, referring to McConnell's nearly 20-percentage-point win over Amy McGrath in 2020. "Andy Beshear has not necessarily worked very well with this legislature. And so I think there was some concern there that there wouldn't be that sort of collaboration."
Only six states have adopted this system besides Kentucky: Hawaii, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming. And even among those states, only one governor has been required by the law to select a senator of the opposite party — when Democratic Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal selected Republican Sen. John Barrasso from a list of three in 2007.
Vikram Amar — a distinguished professor of law at the University of California, Davis, who specializes in constitutional issues — said this type of limitation on a governor's appointment power hasn't been challenged in court yet.
According to Amar, the 17th Amendment was created expressly to remove senatorial appointment power from state legislatures."...
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McConnel has issues, so do Fetterman, Pelosi, Biden, Feinstein. All need to retire
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