Mitch McConnell was hospitalized on June 14. Over the next three months, the Kentucky senator was barely seen or heard, aside from two awkward “proof of life” photos and a statement explaining he’d suffered a fall that left him “briefly unconscious” and he then developed “a mild case of pneumonia.”

On Monday evening, the 84-year-old Republican finally returned to the Senate to cast the deciding vote on a federal appeals-court nominee. Though McConnell was surrounded by journalists and colleagues the whole time, somehow he was still barely seen or heard.

In a statement posted to his social-media feeds, McConnell said he was excited to “get back to more of business as usual” on behalf of his constituents.

“My recovery has been a long and often frustrating process, and the lingering effects of childhood polio haven’t made it any easier,” he wrote. “I’m still not quite back to 100%, but I’ve assured Leader Thune that, as I continue with physical therapy on the advice of my doctors, I will do my best to be present for tough votes when our Conference needs me.”

McConnell was considerably less verbose as aides moved him from his D.C. home to a van to head to the Capitol. In........

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