Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell froze while speaking at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, the second such incident in about a month.
The first incident was on July 26 at a Washington press conference.
McConnell was in the area to accept the Northern Kentucky Community Award and to discuss state and national issues during the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Government Forum.
The award, according to NKY Chamber President and CEO Brent Cooper, goes out to individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout the Northern Kentucky region that have made a positive impact on the community. McConnell’s freeze occurred after his prepared remarks, when he was answering questions from reporters.
After the approximate 30-second pause, McConnell appeared to have trouble hearing, and his responses were difficult for reporters to understand. The freeze-up occurred following a question regarding his reelection. Reporters in the room were told he needed a minute. McConnell did not answer the question and moved on to the next.
When asked what Republican Governor Nominee Daniel Cameron needed to do on the campaign trail to win Kentuckians in November, McConnell said the governor’s race would be tight, but Cameron was the best nominee and had confidence he would win.
Following that question, McConnell was asked his thoughts on supporting former President Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee, to which he said he would not be commenting on the presidential race and then was led out of the room.
During his prepared remarks, McConnell briefly discussed topics such as the Brent Spence Bridge, inflation in Kentucky, and the war in Ukraine during the discussion at the NKY Chamber event, even cracking multiple jokes.
“I’m wired here like a suicide bomber,” McConnell said as he took the microphone.