When a US Senator Resigns

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by blisterpeanuts

I read somewhere that the Kentucky legislature removed the governor's power to name a successor to a Senate vacancy. Is that true?

If so, McConnell might just be holding out for the "right" successor to step up. This has been intimated in a couple of news reports.

On the other hand it's got to be hard to step down and give it all up. The guy's been in the Senate now for over 30 years.

Governor Beshear is a democrat in a state that leans GOP enough that both upper and lower house have majorities.

As such yes, Mitch McConnell was or is not going to retire while there is a snowball's chance in Hades a democratic governor would name his replacement.

Kentucky legislature yes, took away governor's powers to name a replacement other than basically one they chose from their own party. Beshear said at time legislature over rode is veto would ignore said law if situation arose. That of course would set off a state constitutional crisis and surely vast amounts of legal action.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...ear-mcconnell/

Whole thing might prove moot in that the governor is in a dead heat election race with an State Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R). This is a rematch in that Cameron lost by about two percent last time around, but if he prevails this time Kentucky would have a GOP governor come 2024. Thus McConnell, Cameron (should he win) along with state and national republican party could possibly hatch out some sort of plot on replacement.

Keep in mind if MMcC did resign and replacement named there would still be a special election sooner or later to fill balance of term, then another election in 2026 when MMcC's term would have ended.

[Oldhag1]

Originally Posted by BugsyPal

Governor Beshear is a democrat in a state that leans GOP enough that both upper and lower house have majorities.

As such yes, Mitch McConnell was or is not going to retire while there is a snowball's chance in Hades a democratic governor would name his replacement.

Kentucky legislature yes, took away governor's powers to name a replacement other than basically one they chose from their own party. Beshear said at time legislature over rode is veto would ignore said law if situation arose. That of course would set off a state constitutional crisis and surely vast amounts of legal action.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...ear-mcconnell/

Whole thing might prove moot in that the governor is in a dead heat election race with an State Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R). This is a rematch in that Cameron lost by about two percent last time around, but if he prevails this time Kentucky would have a GOP governor come 2024. Thus McConnell, Cameron (should he win) along with state and national republican party could possibly hatch out some sort of plot on replacement.

Keep in mind if MMcC did resign and replacement named there would still be a special election sooner or later to fill balance of term, then another election in 2026 when MMcC's term would have ended.

Cameron did NOT lose to Beshear. Cameron ran for Attorney General and not only won, but received more votes than either of the gentlemen who did run for governor. Beshear barely beat the most justifiably unpopular governor in Kentucky history, Matt Bevin.

If Beshear launched that “constitutional crisis” not only would he lose, he would never be elected for an office outside of Louisville again. Kentuckians, even the moderately liberal ones, do not like national Democratic values, the notion that he might ignore that senate replacement law is like a free “We need to elect Cameron to protect the Senate” ad.

[marino760]

Originally Posted by Oldhag1

Cameron did NOT lose to Beshear. Cameron ran for Attorney General and not only won, but received more votes than either of the gentlemen who did run for governor. Beshear barely beat the most justifiably unpopular governor in Kentucky history, Matt Bevin.

If Beshear launched that “constitutional crisis” not only would he lose, he would never be elected for an office outside of Louisville again. Kentuckians, even the moderately liberal ones, do not like national Democratic values, the notion that he might ignore that senate replacement law is like a free “We need to elect Cameron to protect the Senate” ad.

I wanted to write something similar but I'm grateful you are much more articulate than I am.

With the election looming over him, Beshear is walking on eggshells right now. If Beshear did do something to cause a "constitutional crisis", I wouldn't be surprised if there would be calls for his impeachment and his loss for reelection would be almost guaranteed.