Sen. Mitch McConnell hasn't cast a vote in nearly two months, and his extended absence is now triggering a constitutional clash in Kentucky over who gets to decide his potential replacement—and whether voters will have a say at all. The dispute flared Aug. 3 when Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear pushed back against claims that election deadlines could limit his options if McConnell's seat becomes vacant, drawing a sharp rebuke from Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams.
McConnell was hospitalized in June after a fall and pneumonia diagnosis. He last voted June 11, and according to Govtrack.US, he's since missed 46 roll call votes, including votes on the annual defense policy bill, legislation related to Iran, and confirmation proceedings for several high-profile Trump administration nominees. His office released a statement July 27 saying he remained in "intense physical therapy" and would miss Kentucky's annual Fancy Farm picnic, one of the state's top political events. Few other details about his recovery have been made public.
The Legal Battle Over Voter Access
Beshear argued in a post on X that a date some observers viewed as significant under Kentucky's Senate vacancy law carries "no legal impact" if McConnell's seat becomes vacant later this year. Under Kentucky law, a vacancy in the U.S. Senate is filled through a special election called by the governor. The winner would serve the remainder of the senator's term, while the seat would remain vacant until election results are certified. Kentucky's law requires the governor to issue a proclamation calling the election, but legal experts told CNBC the statute doesn't set a firm deadline for when that proclamation must be issued.
Beshear has suggested the state's 2024 special-election-only law could conflict with the Kentucky Constitution. He pointed to Section 152, which says statewide vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointment, raising questions about whether a Senate vacancy could ultimately trigger a legal challenge. The dispute centers on who gets to decide how a vacant Kentucky Senate seat is filled—and whether democratic participation will be protected or curtailed.
In a statement to The Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, Adams said the state law is clear: a Senate vacancy must be filled through a special election, and the governor has no authority to appoint a senator. Adams wrote, "His [Beshear's] irresponsibility in suggesting the Kentucky Constitution empowers him to violate state law and appoint a federal officeholder—to an office that is not even vacant—has fed the sort of online conspiracy theories I've spent my career combatting."
The disagreement remains hypothetical because McConnell hasn't resigned and his seat isn't vacant. But his prolonged absence has sparked new questions about what would happen if Kentucky suddenly needed to replace one of its two U.S. senators.
Primaries Test Democratic Direction
Five states hold primaries Tuesday, with competitive House and Senate races that could ultimately decide control of Congress next year. Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington are all holding contests. A number of Democratic primaries are pitting congressional incumbents against progressive challengers, and redistricting efforts will also influence the races. Missouri Republicans redrew their map to squeeze Democrats, while Virginia moved its primary from June to August for a Democratic redistricting push that courts ultimately threw out.
In Michigan, retaining an open Senate seat is seen as a must-win for Democrats hoping to retake the chamber next year. Voters there will decide between two millennial Democrats vying to run against the likely nominee, former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, this fall. Rep. Haley Stevens flipped a suburban House seat in 2018 and served on the team President Obama tasked with rescuing the auto industry during the Great Recession. She's pledged to fight Trump and has focused on her support for Michigan manufacturing.
Her opponent is epidemiologist Abdul El-Sayed, former health director for Detroit and later Wayne County. El-Sayed lost a primary for governor against Whitmer and hosted a public health podcast. His platform includes embracing Medicare for All and cutting the influence of corporate money in politics, and he's slammed the millions being spent against him by the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. Stevens has the money advantage and has outspent El-Sayed on the airwaves by at least eight times, according to AdImpact, including groups aligned with AIPAC. El-Sayed is leading the polls for the primary contest. Haley supporters argue that she has a better chance of winning in a purple state in November's general election.
Michigan is a true swing state. Joe Biden won Michigan in 2020, and Donald Trump carried the state in 2016 and 2024, the latter election even as Democrat Elissa Slotkin narrowly won an open Senate seat that had been held by Democrats.
Another test of the Democratic Party's direction will be in Michigan's 13th House District, which covers most of Detroit. Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar, the multimillionaire businessman, is running against state Rep. Donavan McKinney, a progressive Detroit native. McKinney has the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Rashida Tlaib and has made Thanedar's wealth and corporate ties the center of his more left-leaning campaign. Republicans are fielding a handful of low-profile candidates, but according to Cook Political Report, whoever wins the Democratic primary is heavily favored in November.
Missouri Rematch Highlights Progressive-Establishment Split
In Missouri, the solid blue 1st Congressional District that includes St. Louis is hosting another one of this cycle's marquee Democratic primaries on Tuesday between current Rep. Wesley Bell and former Rep. Cori Bush. Bell defeated Bush two years ago, and now they're both back for a fiery rematch. Whoever wins this race, where apart from local issues military aid to Israel has also been a big point of contention, will likely go on to serve in Congress.
Bush has said she'd vote to cut off military aid for Israel, while Bell has voted against those moves. Bell is backed by Democrats like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, while Bush is supported by the Democratic Socialists of America. Seven other congressional districts in Missouri will hold primary races to pick candidates Aug. 4, under a new map the Republican-led Legislature passed that reshaped Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City-area seat.
Back in Michigan, a governor's seat is in play because term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is leaving it open in a state President Trump carried in 2024. Tuesday's margins and turnout will offer the first signals about Democratic and Republican enthusiasm heading into November. The Democratic front-runner is Jocelyn Benson, Michigan's secretary of state since 2019. Benson's priorities are the economy and the public education system, she told Michigan Public Radio, while her competitor, Chris Swanson, the current Genesee County sheriff, said he'd focus on an audit of the state women's prison, on curbing energy price hikes, and on giving Epstein victims a voice.
In the Republican primary, Rep. John James, the 2018 and 2020 Senate nominee, has Trump's endorsement, though Perry Johnson, a businessman and author, is proving to be tough competition. Johnson's priorities include eliminating the state income tax, making property taxes less onerous, and improving the quality of the state's education programs, he told Michigan Public Radio.
Virginia's Election Day was pushed from June to August this cycle after a congressional redistricting referendum and an effort to change the maps by the Democrats; the attempt was overturned by the Virginia Supreme Court on technical grounds, but the later date stayed in place. Michelle Moffit, a director at Virginia Civic Engagement Table, a non-partisan, non-profit that works to protect voting rights, said she expects more participation from voters because of the Louisiana v. Callais decision and how it could have impacted Virginia. "I think more people are aware of what's at stake and how precious the right to vote is," she said.
Why This Matters:
The Kentucky succession dispute isn't just about one senator's health. It's about whether voters will have a voice in choosing their representation or whether appointments will bypass democratic participation entirely. McConnell's nearly two-month absence has left Kentucky without full Senate representation during votes on defense policy, foreign affairs, and key administration appointments—a gap that disproportionately affects constituents who depend on federal advocacy. Meanwhile, Tuesday's primaries will shape whether Democrats move toward candidates who champion universal healthcare, campaign finance reform, and restraint on corporate influence, or toward more establishment figures with greater financial backing. The outcomes in Michigan, Missouri, and other states will determine not just which party controls Congress, but what vision of economic justice and democratic accountability will guide the next session. Redistricting battles in Missouri and Virginia underscore how map-drawing can dilute or amplify voter power, making these contests tests of whether democratic institutions will protect broad participation or entrench partisan advantage.