In 1984, Mitch McConnell, then a young Kentucky county judge, narrowly defeated incumbent U.S. Senator Walter Dee Huddleston, aided by a television ad highlighting Huddleston's missed votes on key issues such as Social Security and the budget.

Now, at age 84, McConnell faces scrutiny over his own voting record. He has not cast a vote on any legislation since June 11, 2026, a period exceeding a month and a half. This absence began after an ambulance took him to the hospital on June 14.

Kentucky’s Democratic Governor Andy Beshear has publicly urged McConnell to provide his constituents with an explanation for his prolonged absence. Beshear stated, “When you’ve been in a hospital for a month and you’ve missed all the votes, which is your job – I mean, basically…you owe your boss, like anybody else out there…an explanation of what’s been going on.”

McConnell remains one of the few Republican senators with the stature on Capitol Hill to challenge former President Trump, who is now 80 years old. Meanwhile, Trump White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that the president is “running out” of patience with Senator John Thune.

The Republican Senate candidates are contending with a president who holds a 61 percent disapproval rating, according to Fox News polling.

Sources