McConnell Leaves Rehab, Will Remain at Home for Physical Therapy
“I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period…”
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 84, announced he has left the rehabilitation center and is heading home:
“Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home. Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I’ve received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff.
“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business.”
Mitch McConnell says in new statement that he’s been discharged from the rehab facility and is back at home
McConnell says he’ll “continue an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home” during the August recess pic.twitter.com/0aqEAIW1Ps
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) August 6, 2026
BREAKING: Sen. Mitch McConnell is heading home after being discharged from rehab, but it's doubtful he returns to the Senate before the fall, @ChadPergram reports.
“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state… pic.twitter.com/J3HMBaQk27
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 6, 2026
McConnell entered rehab on July 27 after remaining in the hospital due to a fall at his home on June 14.
The senator didn’t update anyone about his issues until July 13, almost a whole month later.
The fall left McConnell unconscious for a brief time. He mentioned how childhood polio left him with mobility challenges and, well, it doesn’t get easier when you’re older.
McConnell also came down with a mild case of pneumonia.
The Kentucky senator went into rehab, where he underwent intense physical therapy.
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Comments
IMO we won’t see much of McConnell in DC. As predicted he’s been propped up by staff. With August recess beginning this week emptying the Senate through mid Sept plus the breaks for midterm campaigns …I doubt we see him in DC more than 30 days between now and end of year. His absence is also a way to try and create a reason not to pass SAVE act or other legislation the base is demanding ‘oh, golly we’d like to …but we just don’t the votes right now, margins too thin’. Another example of how we don’t despise the establishment enough.
And in the phone-camera age, the announcement was made… on paper.
I think Mitch needs to pack it in…. but suppose he were 30 years younger and this was a car accident with an 8 month recovery.
Constitutionally is there any sub capability or would he have to step down?
Age wouldn’t matter in that scenario b/c with all else equal he wouldn’t be running for re-election then either. Bottom line is he can’t be forced out (well I suppose he could carried out by 6) but IMO morally/ethnically if somebody is unable/unwilling to serve in office/meet the responsibilities/demands of the office they should resign. Unfortunately morality doesn’t often enter into considerations of political power, not a great deal of ethics in that respect either.
In the 237 years that the congress has existed many members have suffered long illnesses, and that has never been the standard. So long as they expected to return, they kept their seats. Especially in the senate, why should you be expected to give up a 6-year term just because you’ll be off for 6 or 8 months? It’s part of the deal. Call it sick leave.
And it’s not as if he’s not doing the work. Most of a senator’s work doesn’t require being in Washington. Only a tiny portion of his work involves being on the floor. In the event of a crucial vote, and no Dem offers a pair, he can be brought in.
that has never been the standard
Maybe it should be. After all, his incapacitation is depriving Kentucky of a vote in the Senate. He is also depriving the coalition of states who have elected Republican senators of some strength in that chamber.
And it’s not as if he’s not doing the work.
If he misses a single vote, he’s not really doing the work. Just because they allow it all the time doesn’t make it a good thing.
The real answer, of course, is to significantly reduce the amount of malarkey in which the federal gov’t is involved, so there aren’t that many votes to miss. (AND have the state add a 25th Amendment style process for incapacitation.)
The state can’t do that. It would take an amendment to the US constitution.
Voting is only the tiniest part of a senator’s job.
Milhouse,
I said IMO that someone unable/unwilling to serve should resign as a matter or morals/ethics. I didn’t claim this was ‘the standard’. Though I’d suggest that most people would agree that it should be.
Lets review this again more closely.
1. Homeboy is in now in the final six months his last year in office. Your argument about ‘giving up a 6 year term’ seems moot as applied to McConnell.
2. Showing up to the DC office, attending committee meetings, conference meetings and coming to the floor seems like ‘the bare minimum’ expectation of someone who aspires/campaigns for the office. I suspect most voters would agree that’s the implicit agreement between the electorate and the candidate.
3. We elect an individual to serve as US Senator. We don’t elect a staff or expect powers to handed off via proxy or to require ‘pair agreements’ from political opponents.
Occupying the office isn’t some sort of personal possession/property right once elected. If someone can’t/won’t show up to work then they should have the moral integrity to resign, allow a replacement to be appointed/elected who is able/willing to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the office to the constituents.
No, there is no way to substitute for a congressman.
Boy I wish I had a job where I could just not show up for months at a time and still get full pay and benefits.
Most professional jobs give long-term sick leave if you have a heart attack or stroke or something.
Most professional jobs have a way ti provide a fill-in during that time, so the job still gets done. States don’t seem to have 25th Amendment style processes for temporary incapacitation.
It’s not up to the states. Once someone is elected he is a senator for six years, and there is nothing the state can do about it.
‘Sad news out of KY today as long time GoP Senator X who was homebound for health reasons was pronounced dead at his home following what investigators describe as an unusual gas leak. No details are available or indeed expected as the body was identified by dental records and any evidence which might have been recovered was destroyed in the fire. Strangely a simultaneous local blackout and some sort of what investigators call an electronic anomaly disabled all cameras, cell service, internet service for an eight hour period bracketing the timing of the explosion.’
So…, IOW, still not doing his job.
He’ll die under mysterious circumstances now that we’re past the cutoff for a special election in Kentucky, thereby keeping Massie from running for his seat.
To be clear, we still don’t have proof of life for Mitch. No conspiracy theories were harmed by this announcement.
When’s the viewing?
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