Hours before McConnell froze in Kentucky, Daniel Cameron brushes off Senate interest
Continued concerns about Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s health — evidenced again Wednesday when he froze for the second time in about a month before a crowd in Northern Kentucky — has renewed questions about his ability to serve in the U.S. Senate and potential successors to the 81-year-old Republican.
While Attorney General Daniel Cameron has long been whispered to be a leading contender to succeed McConnell, his candidacy for governor complicates that scenario.
In an interview with McClatchyDC just hours before McConnell’s episode, Cameron declined to express any interest in the U.S. Senate and doubled down on his focus on the governor’s race.
Asked if he had ever considered becoming McConnell’s successor or running for Senate himself, Cameron replied: “I’ve made my intentions clear and I made those intentions clear in January of this year when I declared officially my candidacy for governor.”
Cameron is running in what’s considered to be a neck-and-neck race against Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.
“Makenze and I have a 19-month old at home and we want to make sure that this commonwealth is the best place in America, that we have a world class education system, that our streets are safer. And Andy Beshear has failed on all of those things,” Cameron said in the interview. “And when it comes to having strong leadership in the state that can get things done, I firmly believe that is me. That’s why I decided to jump into this race for governor. I want to build a stronger, more durable foundation for our kids and our grandkids. That’s why I’m running for governor.”
Speaking to KET in May, Cameron said he wanted to “serve for the remainder of the decade” as governor when asked about a Senate career.
If McConnell is unable to serve the remainder of his term, the appointment would still sit with Beshear, the incumbent governor.
But the state legislature changed the law in 2021 to force Beshear to select a replacement from three names recommended to him by the executive committee of the Republican Party of Kentucky. But Beshear could challenge that law in court.
A special election for the remainder of the Senate term would be held thereafter, with the timing dependent on the vacancy.
“Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today,” read a statement from a McConnell spokesperson. His office said he would be consulting a physician prior to his next public event.
While McConnell declared himself to be “fine” to reporters after freezing, his statement didn’t stop speculation about how a resignation could alter Kentucky politics.
“They don’t think [McConnell] wants to step down until after the governor’s race. And the rumor’s always been that Cameron would appoint himself,” said Ryan Straw, the vice president and government affairs director of the Fraternal Order of Police, which endorsed Cameron over Beshear for governor, referring to lawmakers in Frankfort, where he said he spent the day.
“You hate to see it,” Straw said of McConnell’s apparent deteriorating health. “I’d say there’s some concern today.”
Asked how his membership would react if Cameron moved to the U.S. Senate due to an appointment to fill a vacancy, Straw replied, “I’d like to think if he’s going to run for governor he’s going to stay for four years, I would hope. Obviously circumstances change.”
This story was originally published August 30, 2023 at 6:57 PM with the headline "Hours before McConnell froze in Kentucky, Daniel Cameron brushes off Senate interest."
