Sen. Luján suffers stroke, expected to make a full recovery

Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) was hospitalized after suffering a stroke last week but is expected to make a full recovery, his office announced Tuesday.

Luján’s chief of staff Carlos Sanchez said in a statement that the senator began experiencing dizziness and fatigue on Thursday and checked himself into a local hospital. He was then transferred to UNM Hospital in Albuquerque, N.M.

“Senator Luján was found to have suffered a stroke in the cerebellum, affecting his balance. As part of his treatment plan, he subsequently underwent decompressive surgery to ease swelling,” said Sanchez.

Luján, 49, is still at the hospital but is resting comfortably and is expected to make a full recovery, his top aide said.

“Senator Luján looks forward to getting back to work for the people of New Mexico. At this time, he and his family would appreciate their privacy, and ask for your continued prayers and well wishes,” Sanchez said.

News of Luján’s stroke appeared to catch some of his Democratic colleagues by surprise.

When asked about Luján’s hospitalization, Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said, “Oh my god. I didn’t know that.” Durbin said he was not sure how Luján’s health emergency would affect the Senate schedule.

Fellow New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich (D) wrote on Twitter: “My thoughts are with @SenatorLujan, who I am fortunate to count as both a colleague and a friend.  I know that all of my fellow Senators and our constituents in New Mexico join me in sending our best wishes to him, his family, and his staff.”

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) wrote that he was “glad to hear my friend Senator Lujan is recovering. Praying for him and his family as he gets back to full strength.”

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) wished Luján and his family well and wrote, “I look forward to seeing him back in Washington once he makes a full recovery.”

Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro (D) said the New Mexico senator “is one of most genuine, kind-hearted people you will ever meet in American politics. I’m glad to hear he’s on his way to a full recovery. Your old friends in the House are thinking about you and wishing you well, Ben Ray.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on Twittter, “My thoughts are with Senator Ben Ray Luján and his family. I’m so glad to hear that he will make a full recovery. We look forward to his quick return to the Senate.”

With Luján’s hospitalization, the Senate is once again evenly split after Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah) announced last week that he had tested positive with a breakthrough case of COVID-19.

Schumer has lined up about 20 nominees in the coming weeks. With both Luján and Romney absent from the Senate, Democrats still have a technical majority with Vice President Harris’s tiebreaking vote.

However, if Romney returns to the Senate next week, then Republican will have a slight majority and Democrats will need GOP support in order to move the nominations along.

Jordain Carney contributed. 

Updated 5:47 p.m.