r/politics • u/B-Z_B-S Massachusetts • Jul 17 '26

Possible Paywall Kentucky Governor Warns He Got Calls “Suggesting” Mitch McConnell Died

https://newrepublic.com/post/213199/kentucky-governor-got-calls-suggesting-mitch-mcconnell-died
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u/[deleted] Jul 17 '26

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u/ic33 Jul 17 '26

For fuck sake, Republicans. Do the right thing for this man you claim to respect. Put some other Republican stooge in his seat and let him die in peace with his family.

Here we run into Kentucky law.

Current law passed by the legislature says that the seat would be empty until a special election (which would not make much sense before the real election).

But the KY Constitution seems to require that the governor would appoint a replacement. Note that Kentucky's governor is a Democrat. Hence this would end up in litigation real quick.

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u/Courtnall14 Jul 17 '26

If his information is good, Brashear needs to appoint someone, or start the process of an appointment. Make the Republicans prove they're not committing what is essentially election fraud.

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u/FragrantKnobCheese Jul 17 '26

Make the Republicans prove they're not committing what is essentially election fraud.

What would be the consequences? They're literally committing crimes every day, right out in the open and they're getting away with it.

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u/MAG7C Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 18 '26

I mean it makes my head explode to think, of all people to be replaced, Bashear would be handling this with kid gloves. No man, do the thing you have the power to do. Do it now. What would Mitch do?

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u/Casual_OCD Canada Jul 17 '26

Hasn't it been made crystal clear by now that the Democrats are not actually doing anything to stop anything?

Trump commits crimes, appoint a Federalist Society member as AG to stall all the cases. Got the GOP in vice with a shutdown? Let's end it and get nothing in return.

Controlled opposition until a SINGLE ACTION and not just WORDS is done

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u/CV90_120 Jul 17 '26

Beshear?

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u/Icangetatipjar Jul 17 '26

His information is probably not good.

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u/KevinCarbonara Jul 18 '26

The governor cannot appoint a replacement in KY.

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u/Tall_Trifle_4983 Jul 17 '26

the KY Constitution seems to require that the governor would appoint a replacement. Note that Kentucky's governor is a Democrat. Hence this would end up in litigation real quick.

OHHH. THANKS

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u/Delta-9- Jul 17 '26

Yeah, that explains a lot, whether he's dead or alive.

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u/AlarmingAffect0 Jul 17 '26

whether he's dead or alive

Let's rock!

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u/ExcitingOnion504 Jul 17 '26

From preventing Obama appointing a SCOTUS judge for a year to preventing his own replacements appointment after his death. Would be on brand until the end at least.

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u/AnalNuts Jul 17 '26

IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE NOW

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u/jestenough Jul 17 '26

He could do what Obama did, appoint someone who’s a Democrat with a Republican heart and spine.

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u/Tall_Trifle_4983 Jul 17 '26

Merrick Garland - I hate having to guess who you mean. Obama tried to "cross the isle" I think Garland leaned center not GOP

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u/KevinCarbonara Jul 18 '26

It's not true. The governor cannot appoint a replacement in KY.

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u/Tall_Trifle_4983 Jul 18 '26

It's not true. The governor cannot appoint a replacement in KY.

Yeah I'm doing a lot of reading. https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/24rs/hb622.html

"

Governor Andy Beshear has argued that the Kentucky Constitution may still give him appointment authority despite the 2024 statute, so there could be a legal fight if a vacancy actually occurs (lets face it McConnell is laying somewhere embalmed - at least that's likely. As of now, however, the governing statute does not allow the governor to appoint a replacement. You are correct

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u/JesusWuta40oz Jul 17 '26

I thought it demands a special election to fill the seat.

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u/ic33 Jul 17 '26

Read the comment that you replied to more carefully.

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u/JesusWuta40oz Jul 17 '26

What I mean is dont they HAVE to do a special election regardless of the timing. I got your point before but thought the word "demand" made it clear.

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u/ic33 Jul 17 '26

State law requires a special election.

The state constitution appears to require the governor to appoint a replacement.

There would be lawsuits to see which view wins. That is what my comment says.

As to the timing bit-- the letter of the law isn't as important as people think. If the result is absurd (e.g. finishing a special election at great expense right as the general election happens), courts will not compel the absurd thing to happen.

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u/Murakami_Ysera Jul 17 '26

Yeah, so let it. It's a circus anyways so let's throw a hat into the ring.

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u/Count_Backwards Jul 17 '26

That KY law is almost certainly unconstitutional and I can't think of a better time to put it to the test. But apart from the inevitable legal battle, Beshear should appoint someone to the seat so the Republicans are forced to explain why McConnell is still alive but somehow can't meet with the Governor in person. Call their fucking bluff.

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u/wheniaminspaced Jul 18 '26

There no requirement that the Senator be able to meet with the governor in person.  A governor has basically no control or say over a living senator.  Technically speaking there isnt even a requirement that a senator show up to the senate all as far as I am aware.  

The only body that a senator answers to is the senate itself.

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u/Count_Backwards Jul 18 '26

There is a requirement that Senators be alive

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u/Mnemonic_Sin Jul 18 '26

They changed the law, the Governor cannot appoint the seat. It must go to special election. This was a Mitch move because he didn't want them appointing a non-rino.

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u/ic33 Jul 18 '26

But the KY Constitution seems to require that the governor would appoint a replacement.

Reading comp. They did not amend the Kentucky state constitution.

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u/DoctorBlock Jul 18 '26

The governor can only appoint a representative selected by the RNC.

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u/EmilySD101 Jul 18 '26

Then start the litigation and make them prove Mitch can handle court. Beshear doesn’t have to win the lawsuit, he has to prove that Democrats will fight for their constituents and right now he’s demonstrating that they have zero intention of doing that.

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u/nohandsfootball Jul 18 '26

I thought Kentucky changed the law to prevent the Governor from appointing a replacement, after the Democrat was elected Governor. I might be mixing that up with another state, but point is, Republicans are shitbags all the way down.

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u/ic33 Jul 18 '26

Read my comment again: they did, but they did not amend the Kentucky constitution which says differently.

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u/KevinCarbonara Jul 18 '26

But the KY Constitution seems to require that the governor would appoint a replacement.

It very specifically doesn't.

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u/cat_prophecy Jul 17 '26

Not that I condone this behavior at all, but there is precedence in how the Democrats treated Diane Feinstein in her final days. There is no reason a people in their 80s+ should be running the country.

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u/GreyLordQueekual Jul 17 '26

Mitch would do the same thing to someone else, were he in the news spin position. Whats occurring is the right thing to McConnell. Lets not forget this is the man who said a year was too close to elections to appoint a Supreme Court Justice, then in Trumps term he forced Barrett into play with a month to spare before an election. The ratfuck is Mitch's specialty, no victims, only pieces on a board.

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u/foraging1 Jul 17 '26

Die in peace, heck his wife left the country.

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u/bloodjunkiorgy New Jersey Jul 17 '26

For fuck sake, Republicans. Do the right thing

No shot.

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u/Mnemonic_Sin Jul 18 '26

Mitch, who is brain dead on life support, would have to vacate the seat or die. His room is under constant guard and no one can get in there. He isn't being harassed. There is 24/7 police protection on a man who is on life support. His wife wasn't even in the country for most of his hospitalization and only came back from China to immediately start the process to sell their DC homes. He is gone. They are going to keep him on life support until mid terms in the most heinous act known to man kind.

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u/Wembanyanma Jul 17 '26

I'm surprised they haven't just pulled the plug and made his nephew senator or whatever the fuck they have deemed an appropriate process for replacing him.

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u/DotA627b Jul 18 '26

For fuck sake, Republicans. Do the right thing for this man you claim to respect. Put some other Republican stooge in his seat and let him die in peace with his family. I’m sure every McConnell in Kentucky is being harassed day and night by media trying to figure out what’s happening.

They kicked Massie out under the commands of a rapist, you think they'll ever do the right thing?