Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear faced questions this week regarding his stance on adhering to a state law that grants Republicans the authority to select a successor for Sen. Mitch McConnell should the GOP leader vacate his congressional seat prematurely.
During a Thursday news conference, the Democratic governor refrained from offering a definitive response, choosing instead to avoid speculation on the potential appointment in the event of a Senate vacancy, reported NBC News.
"There is no Senate vacancy," Beshear told reporters. “Sen. McConnell has said he's going to serve out his term, and I believe him. So I'm not going to speculate about something that hasn't happened and isn't going to happen."
"Leader McConnell appreciates the continued support of his colleagues and plans to serve his full term in the job they overwhelmingly elected him to do," a McConnell spokesperson said in a statement, which Politico first reported.
McConnell's health has drawn heightened attention following incidents in July and August when the 81-year-old senator, now the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, froze during news conferences.
In the event of a Senate seat vacancy, the traditional practice across most states involves allowing the incumbent governor to make a temporary appointment without significant constraints, pending a subsequent election to fill the seat. However, Kentucky's approach to this procedure substantially changed in 2021. A new law limits Beshear's choice of a temporary replacement to one of three names recommended by the executive committee of the Republican Party of Kentucky.
Subsequently, a special election would be convened to determine the permanent occupant of the Senate seat. In that election, any candidate who garners a minimum of 1,000 signatures would be eligible to run. To secure victory, a candidate must amass over 50 percent of the vote. A runoff election featuring the top two candidates would ensue within 70 days if no candidate achieves a majority.
Kentucky's last Democratic senator served in 1999, marking a lengthy period without Democratic representation in the Senate since the retirement of Sen. Wendell Ford.
The political landscape in the state remains firmly under Republican control, and Beshear, a Democrat, faces a formidable reelection challenge. In the upcoming November election, Beshear will contend against the state's Attorney General, Daniel Cameron, who has secured an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, according to NBC News.
McConnell's current six-year term ends in 2026.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.