Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says he does not plan to retire after lawmakers in his home state overrode the Democratic governor’s veto of a bill that would limit his ability to fill U.S. Senate vacancies.
The bill, which was supported by McConnell, sparked some speculation that the Kentucky lawmaker may be eyeing an exit from the Senate after more than 24 years in the chamber.
Speaking to reporters in Kentucky on Monday, McConnell, 79, said, “I don’t think we’re going to have a vacancy. I’m not going anywhere. I just got elected to a six-year term. And I’m still the leader of my party in the Senate.”
“But I had watched this over the years in the Senate as various vacancies were filled, and I thought this was the best way to go,” he added.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) vetoed legislation that changes how governors can fill vacancies that open up in the Senate. Previously, governors could appoint someone of their choosing to fill the seat until the next House election.
The new legislation, which was supported by McConnell, requires a governor to choose someone from a three-name list complied by party leaders from the party of the senator who held the seat.
The Kentucky legislature voted to override Beshear’s veto on Monday. However, there could be a potential court challenge.
Kentucky Senate President Robert Stiver, who sponsored the bill, also sought to smack down any speculation that McConnell was considering retiring.
“Let me make this definitive statement: [McConnell] is not sick, he is not leaving — maybe to some people’s chagrin — but he plans to be there,” he said at a hearing on the bill.
McConnell explained why he supported the bill, “The goal here, that I support … was if such a vacancy were to occur to have the people as quickly as possible elect the new senator. And in the interim, honor the results of the last election.”
The senator also said he would have supported the legislation if a Republican was governor.