Mitch McConnell’s latest health scare fuels speculation about Senate’s future GOP leadership

During a Wednesday, August 30 press conference in his state, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) was speaking to reporters when he suddenly went blank and became silent for about 30 seconds before he resumed speaking.

This was the second time this summer that the 81-year-old conservative froze during a press conference, once again raising questions about his health. A McConnell aide told CNN that he "felt momentarily lightheaded" and added, "While he feels fine, as a prudential measure, the leader will be consulting a physician prior to his next event."

CNN's Manu Raju, in an article published on August 31, reports that McConnell "disdains the focus on his health" and "has so far refused to publicly disclose the reason why he froze up for roughly 30 seconds two separate times this summer."

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According to Raju, the August 30 press conference is fueling speculation about a possible McConnell successor as GOP leader in the U.S. Senate. And the names being mentioned include Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

Raju notes that when Cornyn was asked about possibly becoming Senate Republican leader, he responded, "Those elections won't be until November 2024. So just the short answer is: there's nothing to prepare for."

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Read Manu Raju's full report for CNN at this link.