American voters are pressing for clarity over Mitch McConnell’s health after the longtime Kentucky Republican was taken away in an ambulance and then largely vanished from public view.
A new Daily Mail/JL Partners poll found deep skepticism about the 84-year-old senator’s condition, with only 9 percent of voters saying they are very confident he will live to complete his current term.
Another 17 percent said they are somewhat confident McConnell will make it to the end of his term, while 24 percent said they are not very confident. A further 25 percent said they are not confident at all, and 26 percent said they remain unsure.
McConnell was admitted to the hospital on June 14, the same day emergency crews were called to his home. Dispatch audio from the incident referred to a cardiac arrest.
The senator’s office did not confirm that the emergency call involved McConnell and released only limited details about his medical status.
Neighbors told the Daily Mail that two of McConnell’s aides appeared “obviously distraught” and were “crying” as emergency responders transported him to the hospital.
For weeks, however, McConnell’s staff declined to say why he had been hospitalized or provide a clear update on his condition. The lack of information fueled speculation online, including unfounded rumors that he had died.
The survey indicates those rumors have gained traction with some voters: 30 percent said it is either somewhat or very believable that McConnell is no longer alive.
Only 17 percent call the claim not at all believable, while 11 percent say it is somewhat unbelievable, 24 percent say neither and 17 percent remain unsure.
As rumors about his condition began to spread online amid his month-long disappearance, McConnell released a photo alongside his wife Elaine Chao
McConnell finally broke his silence on July 12, telling Kentuckians in a letter that a fall last month left him briefly unconscious and that he has also been dealing with a mild case of pneumonia.
The senator said doctors confirmed he suffered no broken bones, concussion, heart attack, stroke, tumors or hemorrhages, and he released a photo alongside his wife Elaine Chao.
McConnell also said he was moving from the hospital to a rehabilitation center to continue regaining his strength.
Voters overwhelmingly believe the disclosure came too late, with 54 percent saying McConnell should have revealed his health problems earlier.
However, 20 percent of voters say he was right not to and 26 percent who are unsure.
The weeks of secrecy drew growing demands for information, including from Kentucky’s Democratic Governor Andy Beshear.
McConnell suffered several other health incidents in recent months, including a public fall in the US Capitol.
He was seen using a wheelchair for the better part of the year.
A neighbor, who went out into the street to see what was going on, found two of the senator’s aides ‘obviously distraught’ and ‘crying’. Within moments, two police officers carrying emergency medical packs were rushing into McConnell’s (red-bricked) home
McConnell’s neighbors have described a string of concerning incidents at the property dating back to the beginning of this year
Senator Lindsey Graham, 71, suddenly died earlier this month
Fellow Republicans, such as Senate Majority Leader John Thune insisted they had recently spoken with McConnell and that he remained in good spirits.
The wave of distrust comes at a jittery moment for the aging Senate, after the sudden death of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.
Graham, 71, died at his Washington home on the night of July 11 just hours after returning from a trip to Ukraine.
The District of Columbia medical examiner’s preliminary findings later attributed his death to an aortic dissection.
Even with that official explanation, 37 percent of voters say they are concerned about Graham’s cause of death, while 45 percent say they are unconcerned.
The Daily Mail poll surveyed 1,021 registered voters online between July 17 and July 20, and the poll carries a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points using rounded figures.
