Kentucky strips power of Democratic governor to appoint Mitch McConnell's successor

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's term doesn't end until Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell's does, and Kentucky legislators made sure he wouldn't be able to select a Democrat to replace him if a vacancy occurs sooner.

GOP legislators gave final approval Thursday to a bill calling for a special election to fill any Senate vacancy, with the winner holding the seat until the term expires, instead of allowing the Democratic governor to appoint a replacement, reported the Associated Press.

“So it would be a direct voice of the people determining how the vacancy is filled,” said Republican Senate president Robert Stivers when presenting the bill.

The state Senate voted 34-3 to send the bill to the recently re-elected Beshear, who has characterized the measure as a partisan power grab, but lead sponsor Steven Rudy, the GOP House majority floor leader, insists it has nothing to do with the 82-year-old McConnell's health or announcement that he would step away from his leadership position later this year.

READ MORE: Congress raids presidential campaign fund in surprise reversal

Rudy introduced the bill in February and it cleared a House committee the day after McConnell announced that he would step down as Republican Senate leader after November's election, although he has stopped short of announcing his retirement.

“I’m not going anywhere anytime soon," McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor.

The Republican legislative supermajority could override a Beshear veto when they reconvene for the final two days of this year's session in mid-April.