Mitch McConnell, former Senate Republican leader, fell twice on Wednesday. He was then escorted from the Capitol in a wheelchair as a precaution.
The 82-year-old longtime leader is a childhood polio survivor and has suffered from multiple health problems in recent years.
Stephanie Penn, McConnell’s spokeswoman, said in a press release that Senator McConnell was fine. The lingering effects from polio on his left leg won’t disrupt his normal schedule of work.
McConnell fell twice, once on the stairs outside the Senate chamber at midday and the second time in the same wing during the Republican Conference Lunch. Punchbowl News said that he was carrying a plate of food and fell on his side.
McConnell, in 2023, froze two times in front of journalists months after he had broken a rib from a fall and suffered a concussion. He also fell twice that year.
The health problems of Senator Feinstein, D.-Calif., and other older lawmakers, such as former president Joe Biden, raised questions about his fitness to continue serving.
McConnell held the position of Senate Majority Leader from 2007 until 2024, making him the longest-serving leader in Senate history. He stepped down at the end of last year and was replaced by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
