Mitch McConnell still ‘perfectly capable’ to lead after freeze-ups: GOP senator

Sen. Mitch McConnell is “perfectly capable” of leading his GOP caucus — even after the 81-year-old froze in public last week for the second time in as many months, says Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota.

“Mitch is sharp, and he is shrewd. He understands what needs to be done,” Rounds told CNN on Sunday of the Senate minority leader from Kentucky. “I will leave it up to him as to how he wants to discuss that with the American public. But there’s no doubt in my mind that he is perfectly capable of continuing on at this stage of the game.”

Concerns have mounted about the health of the longest-serving Senate Republican leader in history after he froze up and was unresponsive for minutes on end during press conferences in July and August.

The most recent troubling incident occurred directly after a reporter’s question about whether McConnell would seek re-election in 2026. He has led Republicans in the upper chamber since 2007.

Capitol Attending Physician Dr. Brian Monahan last week cleared McConnell to return to work after a consultation, saying the Kentucky Republican had experienced lightheadedness, potentially from a concussion and dehydration.

McConnell suffered a concussion after a fall at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Washington, DC, in March. He fell again while exiting a plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in northern Virginia in July.

Reps for McConnell had suggested the bizarre episodes in recent months were also caused by lightheadedness.

Doctors who spoke with The Post have said the Senate minority leader’s symptoms were more consistent with a partial seizure or mini-stroke.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who challenged McConnell for his leadership position last year, said he expected the senator would remain in his role for the remainder of the term.

“He’s got a good team around him,” Rounds said. “He’s done a good job of developing that leadership team. They have been supportive of him.”

But some Senate Republicans have considered holding an emergency meeting to discuss the matter after returning from the August recess Tuesday, Politico has reported.

Rounds dismissed such talk.

“There’s a lot of folks out there who would like to see him go, but that’s because he’s a very capable leader,” Rounds told CNN’s Dana Bash. “He’s one of these kind of guys that if you can take him out of the leadership role in advance, you might end up in a better position if you were a competitor of his.

“At this stage of the game, I think he’ll continue on,” Rounds said.

McConnell ally and CNN contributor Scott Jennings also said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he “watched football with [McConnell] Friday, he’s having a perfectly fine weekend, and looking forward to getting back to Washington.”