WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell recently experienced a fall that resulted in a sprained wrist while leaving a GOP luncheon. This incident marks yet another health concern for the veteran lawmaker in recent times.
At 82 years old, McConnell is preparing to step down from his leadership role at the end of this year. He was walking out with Wyoming Senator John Barrasso when he tripped. Despite the mishap, he managed to walk back to his office unaided. Medical staff arrived shortly afterward to check on him.
Aside from the wrist injury, which was treated, his office reported that he also suffered a cut on his face. Fortunately, he has been given the green light to continue with his daily schedule, although he did not participate in a planned press conference right after the luncheon.
Senator Barrasso, who also serves as the No. 3 Senate leader and is a trained doctor, reassured everyone that McConnell was doing well, stating he was “fine” and “100 percent” alert after the fall.
Following the incident, McConnell walked to the Senate chamber for a vote, sporting a bandage on his cheek and a brace on his wrist. His fall comes on the heels of a serious health scare earlier this year when he was hospitalized with a concussion after another fall in a hotel. That incident kept him away from work for a few weeks, and he had some troubling moments while giving speeches last summer, at one point appearing to freeze up during press briefings.
It’s worth noting that McConnell contracted polio in his early childhood, which has led to some ongoing challenges with mobility. He has had previous falls as well, including one in 2019 that resulted in a shoulder fracture demanding surgical intervention.
Since his election to the Senate in 1984, McConnell has established himself as a significant leader, holding the position of Republican leader since 2007. As the party prepares for a leadership transition, South Dakota Senator John Thune is set to take over as Senate majority leader once they regain control.
