What happens if Mitch McConnell is unable to finish his US Senate term?
Al Jazeera – News
aljazeera.comSummary
It was a Capitol Hill mystery. Members of Congress are typically on the older side. The answer is the subject of intense scrutiny, as Republicans seek to preserve their majority in the Senate. A seven-term senator from Kentucky, McConnell is the longest-serving party leader in the history of the Senate. Republicans have a controlling majority in the Senate — but only by a few seats. With McConnell absent, the number of Republicans available to vote shrinks from 53 to 52 in the 100-seat Senate. McConnell also sits on the all-important Senate Appropriations Committee, which helps decide discretionary government spending. Kentucky is now one of four US states where the governor does not have authority to fill Senate vacancies. Senate hopefuls would have to file their candidacy no later than 56 days prior to the vote. Even if McConnell’s Senate seat were vacated immediately, the earliest a special election could occur is September.
From the source
The longtime party leader's absence from the Senate is likely to have repercussions for the Republican agenda.
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