In interview, Beshear says he received calls about McConnell 'suggesting he's passed'

Updated July 16, 2026, 6:46 p.m. ET

Gov. Andy Beshear said in a July 15 media interview that he received calls from officials "suggesting" U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell had died prior to the release of the senator's July 12 health update.

In an interview surrounding recent events that could affect the Democratic Party, journalist Katie Couric asked Beshear what had prompted him to release statements calling for McConnell to share more information about his now month-long hospitalization.

"It had been a month before anything had been put out, not even an official statement from Senator McConnell," he said. "In fact, I'd gotten two calls from different agencies – not state agencies – suggesting he's passed."

It was unclear when Beshear received the calls and what agencies the officials represented. Spokespeople for Beshear and McConnell have not yet responded to requests for comment.

The first statement from Beshear came July 8, four days before McConnell shared his own message about his condition, in which he said his hospitalization stemmed from a fall at home. In the interview with Couric, Beshear said that his office had not had "any direct communication" with McConnell and his staff since the senator's hospitalization began June 14.

Beshear later said the July 12 update was “a step in the right direction” but added Kentucky voters “deserve to see a little bit more and hear a little bit more” about McConnell’s condition.

What happened to Mitch McConnell? What we know about senator's health, Senate vacancy policy in Kentucky

In his July 12 statement, McConnell said he was briefly unconscious from his fall, adding a medical evaluation showed he had no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor or hemorrhage. A health professional quoted in McConnell's update said the senator developed pneumonia early in his hospitalization, though he was able to recover from it "quickly" with antibiotic treatment.

If McConnell's Senate seat were to be vacated before his term expires in January 2027, Beshear has said he would evaluate a Kentucky constitutional statute allowing governors to make appointments for statewide offices in the event of a vacancy. A Kentucky law, meanwhile, shows the governor must call a special election for U.S. Senate vacancies if certain time requirements can be met.

"Well, before there was ever a statute that the Republican majority could change or not change, Kentucky governors made appointments, and that constitutional provision was the only thing in writing at the time," Beshear told Couric, adding that there are "a lot of options on the table" and he plans to "look at all of them."

Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@usatodayco.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter