I hope Beshear gets to nominate a replacement for mcconnel

[drray23]

Hopefully he picks Thomas Massie. That would satisfy the requirements of it being GOP while screwing with Trump maximally.

[dsc]

1. He doesn't there will either be a special election

if vacancy is declared before 3 Aug, or sits empty until 2027 if not.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. The Kentucky GOP has a strange law that only a republican can be named to replace McConnel

https://www.npr.org/2023/07/31/1191034037/mcconnell-facing-health-questions-says-he-ll-serve-full-term-keep-leading-senate

A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

Senator Mitch McConnell's freeze-up at a news conference last week is raising questions about how much longer he can serve as the senior U.S. senator for Kentucky. A spokesperson says McConnell plans to finish his term, which ends in 2027, but lawmakers are wondering what could happen if he were to step down. Back in 2021, Kentucky's Republican-led legislature passed a law ensuring that McConnell's possible successor would be a Republican. The state's Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, vetoed the bill, but he was overruled by the legislature. For more, I'm joined now by Austin Horn, who is a politics reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Austin, so what is Governor Beshear's argument against the current law?

AUSTIN HORN: Good morning, A. The argument against, presented in the governor's old veto message, is based on the U.S. Constitution's 17th Amendment. It's kind of one of those amendments we often forget about. And in 1912, it allowed voters to cast direct votes for U.S. senators. And prior to its passage, senators were chosen by legislatures. The governor's office has been careful to not make a comment on this front in recent days. But it's kind of the consensus among Kentucky Democrats and those in the capital that Beshear would be inclined to push back either by appointing a Democrat, unlike the law says, or stalling and challenging the law. Or, you know, he could always follow the law, but that's not expected.

I personally do not think that this law is constitutional

[Wiz Imp]

3. The law requires a special election.

https://www.newsweek.com/mitch-mcconnell-health-questions-raise-kentucky-senate-succession-issues-12159137

Mitch McConnell Health Questions Raise Kentucky Senate Succession Issues
While there has been no indication that McConnell plans to resign, the episode has drawn attention to a major change Kentucky lawmakers made in 2024 to the state's Senate vacancy laws. The legislation eliminated the governor's ability to appoint a replacement senator and instead directed vacancies to be filled through a special election process. The change would apply if a vacancy occurred before McConnell's term expires in January 2027.
..........
The most significant legal development came in 2024, when Kentucky lawmakers passed House Bill 622.

House Bill 622 repealed KRS 63.200 and replaced Kentucky's Senate vacancy process with a special election system. Under the revised law, the governor must issue a proclamation calling an election, with the winner serving the remainder of the unexpired term. The legislation also established administrative deadlines for notices and candidate filings tied to that election.

Perhaps most notably, the law eliminated the governor's authority to appoint an interim senator, meaning Kentucky no longer follows the succession model used in most states.

[LisaL]

5. I think they did it with McConnell in mind.

Of course they didn't want a democratic governor that have that power.

[LisaL]

4. It doesn't work that way.

So it will not happen.