Senator McConnell was booed at and jeered during a prominent annual political event in Kentucky over the weekend by protesters who, a month after the senator froze during a press conference at Washington, D.C., said it is time for the Senate minority leader to step aside. 

Mr. McConnell faced an unfriendly crowd at the 143rd Annual St. Jerome Fancy Farm Picnic at Fancy Farm, Kentucky, a town near the borders with Missouri, Tennessee, and Illinois. As the senator spoke at the event, the crowd began to chant “retire” at the 81-year-old. Mr. McConnell appeared to largely ignore the boisterous chants. The hectoring continued for as long as five minutes straight during his comments.

Mr. McConnell opened his comments by saying, “Elaine and I are really excited to be back at Fancy Farm on behalf of the strongest Republican team we’ve ever run in our state,” before being met by  boos from the crowd.

“My friends, I’ll be honest, it’s not hard for Republicans to look good these days,” Mr. McConnell is heard saying in a recording of the event. “We’re up against the folks that gave you record high inflation, that closed schools and then told you that teachers’ unions know what’s best for your kids.”

A longtime opponent of Mr. McConnell, President Trump, said in a post to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Monday, “I agree” with the protesters. Other attendees at Fancy Farm could be heard saying, “Ditch Mitch” and, “Lost the Senate.”

Mr. McConnell, despite the crowd’s disposition, also attacked Governor Beshear for not being a consistent attendee of the picnic, saying he only attends when “he’s staring down Election Day.” 

The incident at Fancy Farm comes just more than a week after Mr. McConnell suddenly froze while speaking at a press conference. Mr. McConnell was escorted away from the podium by aides before returning to finish his statement and answer questions from reporters.

Since then, Mr. McConnell has maintained that he is in good health and made light of the incident, which he has characterized as being “sandbagged,” a reference to President Biden’s fall at a military graduation in June.

Mr. McConnell suffered a concession earlier this year that appears to have had effects on his health. According to NBC, he is now using a wheelchair when traveling in crowded places.

NBC and CBS News have also reported that Mr. McConnell has had two previously unreported falls, while disembarking from planes at Washington, D.C., and Helsinki.

In his appearance at Fancy Farm, Mr. McConnell appeared resolute in his decision to finish out his current term as senator, saying, “Well, this is my 28th Fancy Farm, and I want to assure you, it’s not my last.”