Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was hospitalized Monday night after experiencing flu-like symptoms and is expected to be OK, according to his spokesman.
“In an abundance of caution, after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, Senator McConnell checked himself into a local hospital for evaluation last night,” spokesman David Popp said in a statement.
“His prognosis is positive and he is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving,” Popp added. “He is in regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business.”
McConnell, 83, was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and announced last February that he would not seek re-election.
The seven-term senator has had numerous medical scares in recent years, including several falls and multiple instances where he appeared to freeze up during press conferences.
He was forced to rely on a wheelchair for a brief stint following a series of topples last February.
McConnell was briefly hospitalized in March 2023 for a concussion and rib fracture that he suffered in a fall at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, DC.
The Kentucky Republican is a childhood polio survivor and led Senate Republicans for 18 years before Sen. John Thune (R-SD) took the reins of the GOP caucus last January.
McConnell missed Senate votes on Monday and Tuesday because of his illness, according to Politico.
