Andy Beshear said Monday on social media that Aug. 3 has “no legal impact” on his options if a Kentucky U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant this year. His statement comes amid rampant online speculation that Aug. 3 marks the deadline for holding a special election to complete the term of Sen. Mitch McConnell, who has been absent since his hospitalization in June. It states that if there are more than three months between a vacancy and an election, a special election must be called. If a vacancy occurs less than three months before, the special election is delayed until the next scheduled general election. “There’s an argument out there that that’s a date where I could not later call a special election,” he said.