Kentucky governor tells Mitch McConnell to prove he can serve or ‘resign’ from Senate

CongressKentucky governor tells Mitch McConnell to prove he can serve or ‘resign’ from SenateGov. Andy Beshear issued his ultimatum in letters to McConnell and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., warning that he may begin the process of replacing him.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Sen. Mitch McConnell in Washington, D.C., on May 19.Nathan Posner / Anadolu via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 28, 2026, 2:13 PM EDTBy Sahil Kapur, Frank Thorp V and Gabrielle KhoriatyKentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is giving Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., an ultimatum, demanding that he prove he’s still capable of serving in the U.S. Senate — or resign.“As Governor of the state you serve, I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or reign,” Beshear wrote.Failing that, the Democratic governor said he’ll call on Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to “investigate” McConnell’s condition and “begin the process if warranted” of replacing him in the Senate. Beshear wrote a separate letter to Thune outlining the same demand.The letter from Beshear comes after McConnell was hospitalized in Washington on June 14 and hasn’t been seen in public since. McConnell’s office has released two photos and written statements saying he suffered a fall, amid public pressure to be transparent and conspiracy theories about the nature of his condition condition.“It has now been 43 days since news of your hospitalization,” Beshear wrote to McConnell. “During that time you have cast zero votes, engaged in no official activities, and aside from two photos and corresponding statements, have made no effort to communicate with your Kentucky constituents or the nation. Even the attending physician’s written statement does not discuss your actual condition, including whether you can speak, reason, or carry out your duties as a senator.”Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky, in Des Moines, Iowa, on Jun...