Dem Faces Revolt Over McConnell Health Standoff

Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is facing backlash from within his own party for not being more aggressive on replacing former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as questions swirl about his health.
McConnell was taken to the hospital on June 14, but his Senate office did not say anything about his health for several weeks.
Still, Beshear, 48, has said that McConnell's office has not been in regular communication with him, saying last week he had even been under the impression that the 84-year-old senator had died.
"It had been a month before anything had been put out, not even an official statement from Senator McConnell. In fact, I'd gotten two calls from different agencies not state agencies suggesting he's passed," Beshear said on Saturday.
Kentucky law gives the governor the authority to immediately call a special election when a sitting senator dies, prompting several Democratic figures to call on Beshear to get a concrete answer on McConnell's health or just call a special election if he cannot.
Progressive podcaster Jennifer Welch said that Beshear should simply call a special election unless he sees tangible evidence that McConnell is alive.
"If the situation were reversed, I think Beshear just needs to go ahead and run the special election," Welch said on her podcast IHIP News.
She said that the governor should say, "We have not heard from him. This proof-of-life hostage photograph does not work. I have not heard from him; I do not know that he is all there."
"I think Beshear's unwillingness to push on this shows he is not the fighter Dems need for the White House run in 28," Democratic commentator Adam Cochran said.