Mitch McConnell Hospitalized

Sen. Mitch McConnell checked himself into a Kentucky hospital Monday night after feeling under the weather over the weekend, his office said. The 83-year-old Republican reported "flu-like symptoms" and went in "out of an abundance of caution," according to spokesman David Popp, who described McConnell's outlook as good and said the senator is in regular contact with his staff and eager to get back to work, NBC News reports. McConnell, a polio survivor, has increasingly been seen in the halls of the Capitol with someone assisting him as he gets around, Politico reports.

McConnell, who has said he will leave the Senate when his term ends in 2026, holds the record as the longest-serving Senate leader in US history and among the chamber's oldest members. His health has drawn scrutiny in recent years after several on-camera freeze-ups, a concussion in 2023 (after which he did not return to Congress for more than a month, Axios reports), and several falls including one last year that temporarily left him wheelchair-bound. His hospitalization comes amid broader debate over aging lawmakers: More than 20 members of Congress are 80 or older, and majorities in both parties tell pollsters they support age caps for federal office.