McConnell calls senators as he continues to recover from fall

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WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called fellow senators on Tuesday, telling fellow Republicans he was eager to return to Capitol Hill after falling and being treated for a concussion earlier this month.

Senate Minority Whip John Thune, RS.D., said he spoke to McConnell on the phone for about five minutes on Tuesday, saying he “sounded good, sounded like Mitch this morning. … He can’t wait to get back.

McConnell was released from hospital on March 13 after falling during a private event the previous week and sustaining a concussion as well as a minor rib fracture. He has been in inpatient rehabilitation since then, according to his office, which said he was undergoing physical therapy to regain strength after the hospital stay, which usually takes a week or two.

McConnell is “doing great, everything is on track,” longtime political adviser Josh Holmes told NBC News on Tuesday, saying he “spent a few hours with him today.”

“I believe he spoke with a few colleagues on the phone before I arrived,” Holmes said.

Thune said he and McConnell “just checked and touched gloves” during their call on Tuesday. “He wanted to express his appreciation for the way we worked with his staff,” Thune told reporters, saying they “talked a bit about what happened on the pitch.”

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who previously served in the leadership role with McConnell, said he also spoke with the Kentucky Republican on the phone earlier Tuesday. “I spoke to him today. He is better and looking forward to coming back,” Cornyn said.

The fact that McConnell spoke to colleagues on the phone appears to be a sign of progress from last week, when Republicans said they only interacted with the GOP leader via text.

“I spoke to him on text, he said he was getting better and stronger, that was about it,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, RW.Va. said Tuesday. “He said he was getting stronger and better and he would be back soon, that’s what he told me.”

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