Tags: mitch mcconnell | flu | hospital | senate | government | funding | votes

Sen. McConnell Hospitalized With Flu-Like Symptoms

By    |   Tuesday, 03 February 2026 10:14 PM EST

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., checked himself into a hospital Monday night after experiencing "flu-like symptoms," a spokesman for the senator said Tuesday.

McConnell went to the hospital "in an abundance of caution," spokesman David Popp said.

He began experiencing the symptoms over the weekend, Popp said.

The 83-year-old, who announced last year he would not seek an eighth term, was forced to miss votes on Monday and Tuesday.

He voted on Friday on funding packages to keep the government open and gave a speech on the Senate floor.

Popp said McConnell's prognosis is positive.

McConnell remains in "regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business," Popp said.

"He is grateful for the care he is receiving," Popp said.

McConnell, who survived polio as a child, has dealt with a series of medical episodes in recent years, including being hospitalized in 2023 after a fall that kept him away from the Senate for a month.

Last year, he fell outside the Senate chamber and was forced to use a wheelchair. He also had two public freeze-ups during press conferences in 2023.

The Kentucky senator is the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history. He currently chairs the Senate Rules Committee.

He stepped down as leader of the Republican conference in November 2024.

Sam Barron

Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


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Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., checked himself into a hospital Monday night after experiencing "flu-like symptoms," a spokesman for the senator said Tuesday.
mitch mcconnell, flu, hospital, senate, government, funding, votes
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2026-14-03
Tuesday, 03 February 2026 10:14 PM
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