I wonder if he can even make it to the end of his term. He knows the Democratic governor of Kentucky will not appoint a Republican to replace him, so he's going to fight that.
It's funny how on certain topics (and to be clear, VERY few), the Dems and reps are the same. The Dems have feinstein who's in a similar state, and she's got people keeping her in office because they don't like who the governor is(n't) going to pick
Feinstein is an order of magnitude more cognizant than McConnell, and yet a great many Dems want to see her removed also....and you just don't see that kind of parity with the GOP.
But you're right, there's at least calls from the Dems to kick her out, so there is a decent difference between the two parties. I just wish the leadership felt the same way.
Leadership wants her out, and she finally accepted the option of letting another Democratic senator temporarily fill her position on the Judiciary Committee while she was unable to attend for many, many weeks in the most recent episode - but Republicans refused.
At that point, Democratic leadership can decide that they want her out so badly that they'll simply hand Republicans a win. Or they can try to get her back in her seat with her hand on the button, so that Democrats can get at least a few wins in the Judiciary Committee.
I want Feinstein out, but I still think Democratic leadership made the correct decision.
There's reports from colleagues that they need to repeatedly reintroduce themselves to her during the same meeting. She was completely unaware of her own months long absence from the capital.
There's definitely more Democrats calling for her retirement than GOP calling for McConnells (AFAIK there are zero), but saying she's an "order of magnitude more cognizant" is pretty damn generous
Like they did with Strom Thurmond. Dude had to be wheeled onto the Senate floor and looked half dead by the end.
Part of the reason this happens is committee seniority is determined by length of time in the Senate, so to control committees it's important to keep Senators in office as long as possible for both parties.
I think some people might read this comment and think you are describing some satirical hyperbolic scenario. But given what we have seen from conservatives over the last few years, It's not just possible, it's their normal.
William Rehnquist had a speaker installed in his private bathroom and the last couple of years on the court, he would suddenly disappear from the bench during oral arguments, but never worry, he could still hear them arguing on his special toilet speaker before making decisions that would affect hundreds of millions of people.
Under the amended law, the governor now may only choose from three names recommended by the executive committee of the outgoing senator's state party, and must make that selection within 21 days of receiving the list from the party.
With both of Kentucky's senators currently being Republican, the choosing of those three nominees would be up to the executive committee of the Republican Party of Kentucky, which is made up of 54 members.
After a vacancy is filled, there would be a special election with an open and bipartisan process — often referred to as a "jungle primary" — allowing any candidate gaining 1,000 signature to run. A candidate with more than 50% of the vote would win, but if no one wins a majority of the vote, the top two vote getters would go on to a runoff election in 70 days.
The timing of that election would be determined based on when the vacancy occurred.
If the vacancy occurred more than three months before a regularly scheduled election, that's when it would take place. It the vacancy occurred less than three months before an election and a regular election is scheduled the following year, the latter election date is when the vote for the Senate seat would occur.
He has an R next to his name. His own political ads could say "I'm too incapacitated to run and if you vote for me I will murder your family" and republicans will still vote for him
The world would be a better place if he choked on his own tongue while waiting for needed medical care like so many Americans that he helped keep from having healthcare.
Seriously. A few years ago he's spearheading the party to remove rights from people and now he's too old to speak. There has to be room for retirement between those steps.