McConnell's absence puts Trump agenda at risk as Kentucky succession questions grow

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Sen. Tommy Tuberville says Senate needs answers on Sen. Mitch McConnell's health as key votes approach, while Sen. John Kennedy dismisses speculation and says colleagues should "leave Mitch alone." (Credit: Nicholas Ballasy for Fox News Digital) A deadline that could have determined Sen. Mitch McConnell’s future in the Senate has come and gone as the timeline for the Kentucky Republican’s return remains in the air. Speculation swirled over Aug. 3 and its ramifications for McConnell’s winnowing tenure in the Senate, given that he’s been absent from the public eye since early June and is slated to retire at the end of this year. Armchair election quarterbacks suggested that Monday was the day for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, to have called a special election to replace McConnell. MCCONNELL OUT OF HOSPITAL, STILL NOT 'MEDICALLY CLEARED' TO RE