Newsmax hosts Carl Higbie and Rob Finnerty are targeting Republicans for their “bulls–t” and “strange” responses to inquiries about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) health status, nearly four weeks after the 84-year-old politician was hospitalized following an undisclosed medical incident.
McConnell was hospitalized after being discovered unconscious in his D.C. home on June 14, per The New York Times. The senator’s office has yet to disclose a reason for his hospitalization or the type of care that the senator is receiving, stirring rampant speculation on his condition.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Republican senators John Thune and John Barrasso told Politico that they each recently “had a lengthy and substantive conversation” with McConnell. But many journalists, including Higbie and Finnerty, remain dubious about party officials’ lack of transparency regarding McConnell’s health.
“Republicans are doing the same bulls–t with McConnell that Dems did with Biden,” Higbie wrote on X Thursday morning. “No one has actually spoke to him, they are just trying to carry this on to keep @RepThomasMassie from running for his seat.”
Republicans are doing the same bullshit with McConnell that Dems did with Biden. No one has actually spoke to him, they are just trying to carry this on to keep @RepThomasMassie from running for his seat.
— Carl Higbie (@CarlHigbie) July 9, 2026
On Tuesday night, fellow Newsmax host Finnerty speculated on-air that Republicans were hiding McConnell’s status to avoid a special election for the senator’s seat, ahead of the November midterm elections.
“Where is Mitch McConnell? What is going on?” Finnerty asked. “The governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, launching an investigation today, requesting a formal update on his ‘health and well-being’ amid growing concerns around the senator’s ability to serve. This is no longer a fringe story, but it gets even more strange.”
He added: “When you factor this in under Kentucky state law, if McConnell resigned or died, a special election would have to happen within 90 days, meaning before the November elections, meaning someone like Congressman Thomas Massie could run in that race and potentially win, which is not something Republicans want.
Speaking on CNN’s “The Arena” on Tuesday evening, conservative commentator and former McConnell aide Scott Jennings said that he had talked with McConnell for 17 minutes earlier in the day. When host Kasie Hunt pressed the correspondent to call the senator on-air, Jennings said that he “wasn’t really expecting [McConnell] to call this morning” and had “naturally [felt] extremely worried” about his former boss’ health.
“When the phone rang, and I was able to talk to him, I was frankly pretty grateful,” Jennings added.
McConnell’s hospitalization continues a recent pattern of health issues for the senator. In February, he was hospitalized after suffering flulike symptoms. He was also hospitalized in 2023 after falling and suffering a concussion.
McConnell has served in the Senate since 1985 and served as party leader from 2007 to 2025. In 2025, McConnell announced his plans to retire at the conclusion of his term in 2027.
The post ‘Where Is Mitch McConnell?’: Newsmax Hosts Call ‘Bulls–t’ on Republican Response appeared first on TheWrap.
