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Mitch McConnell suffered concussion after fall and will ‘remain in the hospital for a few days’

The Senate Minority Leader suffered a fall on Wednesday evening

Eric Garcia
Thursday 09 March 2023 18:59 GMT
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(Getty Images)

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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suffered concussion after he experienced a fall on Wednesday evening and will remain hospitalised for a few days, according to his spokesman.

The top Republican fell during a private dinner on Wednesday, according to David Popp, Mr McConnell’s communications director.

“Leader McConnell tripped at a dinner event Wednesday evening and has been admitted to the hospital and is being treated for a concussion,” Mr Pop said in a statement. “He is expected to remain in the hospital for a few days of observation and treatment. The Leader is grateful to the medical professionals for their care and to his colleagues for their warm wishes.”

The top Senate Republicans’ fall comes amid two other Senators recovering from injury or illness. Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who won election in November, is currently in treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center for depression.

Mr Fetterman was admitted to George Washington University hospital previously after he experienced lightheadedness during a Democratic retreat. That came after he experienced a stroke in May right before the Democratic primary for Senate.

Similarly, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the longest-serving Democratic Senator, was hospitalised for shingles. Ms Feinstein, 89, had announced back in February that she would not seek re-election to the Senate.

Earlier this year, Mr McConnell celebrated becoming the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, surpassing former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield.

President Joe Biden, who served with Mr McConnell for many years in the US Senate, sent well wishes to Mr McConnell.

“Jill and I are wishing Senator McConnell a speedy recovery,” he said. “We look forward to seeing him back on the Senate floor.

Mr McConnell has served as the Senator from Kentucky since 1985 and has led the Senate Republican Conference since 2007.

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