Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland made the announcement late Sunday night that he was recuperating from “a mild stroke.” Senator Van Hollen is the second Democratic member in this year’s legislative session to become sick from the condition.
Mr. Van Hollen, 63, said in a statement that he had been admitted to George Washington University Hospital, which is located in the District of Columbia, “after experiencing lightheadedness and acute neck pain” while delivering a speech. The statement was posted on Twitter. George Washington University Hospital is located in the District of Columbia. An angiography revealed that he had suffered from what was described as a “minor stroke in the form of a tiny venous tear” near the base of his skull.
On the other hand, he said that there wouldn’t be “any long-term consequences or harm.”
Mr. Van Hollen has indicated that, out of an abundance of caution, he will reduce the amount of activity he participates in and will continue to be monitored for the next several days. According to the statement, he had the intention of going back to the Senate later on this week.
The revelation brought to light the precarious nature of the power dynamic in the chamber, where Democrats possess a 50-50 majority but the loss of even a single vote could have a cataclysmic effect and obstruct President Biden’s agenda.
In February, Senator Ben Ray Luján, 49, a Democrat from New Mexico, also revealed that he had had a stroke. Senator Luján checked himself into the hospital after suffering dizziness and exhaustion, and he said that he had made the announcement.
Mr. Luján “suffered a stroke in the cerebellum, which affected his equilibrium,” according to a statement released by Carlos Sanchez, who serves as his chief of staff. The statement went on to say that “ultimately, in order to alleviate the swelling, he had decompressive surgery as part of his treatment plan.”
Before being elected to Congress in 2002, Mr. Van Hollen served as a lawmaker in the Maryland State Legislature. He is a progressive Democrat and is also a professional lawyer. He has served as a member of the Democratic House leadership, and from 2007 to 2011, he was the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, an organisation that works to ensure that Democrats continue to have a majority in the House of Representatives. Following his victory in the Senate election in 2016, he continued to play a similar role in the organisation of campaigns to obtain Senate seats.
The revelation that Mr. Van Hollen had had a stroke took place in the midst of the fiercely fought midterm elections. The Democrats have already began a vigorous fight to maintain their majority in the House, and they simply cannot afford to lose any Senate seats in the process.
On Sunday, Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who is now competing for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat in his state, revealed that he had had a stroke the previous Friday. On Twitter, he said, “The good news is that I’m feeling lot better, and the doctors assure me that I did not suffer any cognitive impairment.” I am making excellent progress toward a complete recovery.
His opponents on the Republican side are David McCormick, a former hedge fund manager; Kathy Barnette, a commentator on the far right of conservatism; Dr. Mehmet Oz, a television personality and retired physician who has the support of the former President Donald J. Trump; and Kathy Barnette.
