‘Not my last.’ McConnell speaks at Fancy Farm events following health questions

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, who has faced renewed questions about his health, appeared Saturday at Kentucky’s premier political event, the St. Jerome Fancy Farm Picnic.

Kentucky’s senior senator, who has called the event “one of my favorite traditions,” first arrived at the Graves County Republican Party pre-Fancy Farm breakfast to thunderous applause. He showed up to the breakfast event with his wife, former U.S. secretary of labor and transportation Elaine Chao.

“Well, this is my 28th Fancy Farm and I want to assure you it’s not my last,” McConnell said.

It comes as McConnell’s first major public outing in Kentucky since questions about his health recently became a renewed topic of discussion.

In late July, the 81-year-old froze up at a press conference for more than 20 seconds, raising concerns among some in Washington and Kentucky.

McConnell was able to return and answer questions at the press conference, and he has carried on with his Senate work, including giving floor speeches since then. He told reporters when asked after the event that he is feeling fine.

On Saturday, the leader’s speech to the Republican crowd struck a reflective note.

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His message focused on the progress that the GOP had made since he first won his Senate seat in 1984 when Republicans had very little power in Frankfort. He said that he was often one of few Republicans speaking at Fancy Farm, where the seats on stage are divided by party.

“In those days it was me and a couple of county chairmen on the Republican side. On their side, it was everybody else. The governor, both senators, the congressmen and legislators – everybody. I tell you that story just to tell you how far we’ve come over the years,” McConnell said.

Now, the GOP owns four-fifths majorities in both the state House and Senate and a plurality of Kentucky voters are registered Republicans.

“There is, however, in spite of all of this progress, one Democrat in Frankfort and he has a very important job,” McConnell said in reference to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.

He lauded GOP gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron’s political prowess, noting that he first met Cameron when the attorney general was a McConnell scholar at the University of Louisville and interned with McConnell at the age of 18. However, McConnell stressed that it’s going to take a concerted effort to get Cameron over the finish line.

“We are dominant, but we haven’t completed the job. We haven’t completed the job. What Frankfort needs… is a governor who wants to go in the same direction. It’s the last big step to make in our state,” McConnell said.

At Fancy Farm, the well-attended bipartisan political speaking event and charity picnic, McConnell faced a heckling crowd of Democrats as he spoke. His speech was partially drowned out by calls to “retire” and taunts about the current Democratic Senate majority — “lost the Senate” was a frequent one.

The leader focused much of his rhetoric on the big stage on bringing down the governor, mentioning the time he beat Beshear’s father Steve in a U.S. Senate race.

“Steve Beshear’s dad thought ‘woke’ was what he did from his nightmare election in 1996,” McConnell quipped.

McConnell later remarked that Beshear “might as well be running for governor of San Francisco,” given his politics.

McConnell’s office has stated that the leader intends to serve out his leadership term for another year and his senate term for another three years. When asked recently about his intentions for a potential re-elecion bid in 2026 when his senate term is up, McConnell did not answer directly.

McConnell is known for leaving the picnic shortly after giving a traditionally joke-filled speech. In 2019, his last major Fancy Farm speech as senate duties kept him from attendance recently, the minority leader bragged about the accomplishments he shepherded under the administration of former president.

“That’s why I call myself the grim reaper — I’m killing their socialist agenda,” McConnell said then.

Tessa Duvall and Alex Acquisto contributed to this article.