Senator Mitch McConnell suffered a fall while walking through the Capitol hallway on his way to vote in the Senate on Thursday afternoon, sparking concern for the longtime Republican politician. The 83-year-old was set to vote on the government shutdown in the Senate when he was approached by two volunteers from the environmental advocacy group Sunrise Movement, who asked him about the controversial actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mitch did not respond to their question and instead stumbled and fell to the ground as his detail tried to help him up.
He then continued walking with their assistance and went to vote in the Senate. A spokesperson told the press that Mitch was “fine”, with the Kentucky native reportedly voting later that night. The former Republican Party leader revealed in February that he would not seek re-election after his term ended in January 2027, following a series of health issues that have plagued him.
Mitch has fallen on several occasions in recent years, including down a set of stairs at the Capitol, with a staffer later sharing that the incident occurred due to the “lingering effects of polio in his left leg”. He was two years old when he contracted polio, which left part of his left leg paralyzed and made him a bullying target.
He previously shared that his family “almost went broke” covering treatment for his polio, and extensive physical rehabilitation allowed him to walk again. In 2019, Mitch suffered a fall at his Kentucky home and broke his shoulder in the accident. “This morning, Leader McConnell tripped at home on his outside patio and suffered a fractured shoulder,” his communications director shared. “He has been treated, released, and is working from home in Louisville.”
2023 saw the senator’s health issues grow worse, after he tripped at a Washington dinner in March and was left with a concussion and a fractured rib. The father of three was hospitalized for five nights and underwent physical therapy on his road to recovery. Mitch then froze up on two separate occasions while speaking at press conferences, with his spokesperson blaming the events on light-headedness and dehydration.
He later told CBS’s Face the Nation that he had “completely recovered” from the incident and was in “good shape.” The Office of the Attending Physician at Congress reported that Mitch was “medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned,” adding that “Occasional light-headedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration.”
© Getty ImagesFast forward to December 2024, when Mitch fell after attending a Senate GOP lunch in Washington, D.C., which left him with a sprained wrist and a cut on his face. Three months later, he fell again while leaving the Capitol, although a spokesperson told the press that he was “fine”.
© TNSMitch’s political opponents have long called for him to step down following his string of health issues, including Senator Rand Paul, who slammed the doctor’s assurance that he was fine as “not believable” in conversation with The Hill following Mitch’s freezing events.
