Top US Senate Republican McConnell to stay in post through 2024 election

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Top U.S. Senate Republican Mitch McConnell plans to remain in his leadership post through the 2024 elections, a spokesperson said on Friday, two days after the minority leader froze up for about 21 seconds while speaking to reporters.

“He plans to serve his full term in the job they (Republican senators) overwhelmingly elected him to do,” the spokesperson said. The statement was silent on McConnell’s plans for the next Congress, which begins in January 2025. McConnell, 81, is serving a six-year term that runs through 2026.

Politico first reported the statement on Thursday evening.

McConnell’s Republicans will aim to retake their majority in the chamber in next year’s election, which could also see a rematch between Democratic President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, who is currently leading his party’s field of candidates for the 2024 nomination.

The longest-serving Senate party leader in history began a regular scheduled press conference on Wednesday by talking about bipartisan cooperation on a massive defense funding bill only to freeze up for 21 seconds, standing still and staring straight ahead before his colleagues leaned in to ask if he was well.

“Are you OK, Mitch? Anything else you want to say or should we just go back to your office?” Senator John Barrasso asked before McConnell turned and walked away with the help of Barrasso, a physician.

McConnell rejoined the press conference about 12 minutes later, saying, “I’m fine” and answering reporters’ questions on other topics.

McConnell’s spokesperson did not answer a question about what caused the Wednesday incident.

He batted away a question about who might succeed him in leadership. His office announced the move the morning the Senate began its summer break, with senators not due to return to Washington until Sept. 5.

McConnell had been sidelined from the Senate earlier this year after he tripped at a Washington dinner on March 8 and was admitted to a hospital for treatment of a concussion. He also suffered a minor rib fracture and was later moved to a rehabilitation facility. He returned to the Senate in April.

Many top figures in Washington are of advanced age, with President Joe Biden running for reelection at 80 and the average age in the Senate above 64.

Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein was sidelined for months this year after a bout of shingles that caused complications including encephalitis and Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which can cause facial paralysis. On Thursday, she had to be nudged by an aide to vote during a committee hearing.

Biden, the oldest person to ever occupy the Oval Office, last month tripped and fell during a graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, but got up quickly and walked back to his seat.

A majority of Americans, some 61%, told a November Reuters/Ipsos poll that they were very or somewhat concerned that members of Congress are too old to represent the American people.

McConnell served as Senate majority leader from 2015 to 2021 and as Senate minority leader since then. Democrats, including three independents who vote with them, currently hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, when all senators are present.

His legislative skills have torpedoed many Democratic initiatives over the years, both when his party held a majority in the chamber and when Democrats have held the edge, as they currently do.

He has long been criticized by Democrats, particularly for his tactics that allowed Republicans to build a 6-3 conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court, including having the Senate refuse to consider a 2016 nomination to the high court by Democratic then-President Barack Obama.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan and Tim Ahmann; editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan Oatis)