Kirk, who survived ’12 stroke, releases medical letter

The reelection campaign of Sen. Mark Kirk (Ill.), who survived a stroke in 2012, released a medical letter on Wednesday saying the Republican “has made a full cognitive recovery.”

{mosads}The letter, written in mid-July by the doctor who performed Kirk’s brain surgery four years ago, detailed his physical impairments, which include reduced vision in one eye, no function in one arm, and impacts on his speech and one leg, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

But Dr. Richard Fessler explained that the stroke had no effect on “the left side of his brain.”

“He is unlikely to regain further range of motion on his left side, but he continues to undergo regular exercise and physical therapy to maintain his strength,” Fessler wrote. “His speech is occasionally halting but has vastly improved. The stroke did not effect the left side of his brain, which controls cognitive and verbal functions.”

The letter doesn’t include information about Kirk’s medication, lab test results and blood pressure, and also left out whether the GOP senator saw any specialists since the time of his stroke.

Kirk, who faces a tough reelection battle against Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), is seen as one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents this cycle as Democrats seek to regain control of the Senate. The state was easily carried by President Obama in 2008 and 2012.

The Sun-Times says it requested medical records from both campaigns. A spokesman for Duckworth, who lost both of her legs while serving as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot during the Iraq War, said it’s being gathered but didn’t elaborate on a timeframe for the release of her record.

The release of Kirk’s medical record comes as the health of political candidates has taken center stage in the presidential race.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has called into question Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s stamina to be able to serve as president. He reportedly revealed the results of his recent medical exam during a Wednesday taping of “The Dr. Oz Show,” set to air Thursday.

The result of Trump’s recent physical comes amid Clinton’s recovery from pneumonia.

Her campaign came under fire for its handling of disclosing her health issues and keeping the campaign’s pool reporters in the loop on Sunday following her early departure from a 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York. She’s expected to return to the campaign trail on Thursday.