WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democrats’ fragile hold on the Senate majority has become vividly apparent with the sudden illness of of New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján.
Word of the senator's stroke sent shock waves through the party. Luján's office says he is expected to make a full recovery, and a senior aide says that barring complications, the senator will be back at work in four to six weeks.
With Luján's absence, Democrats no longer have full working control of the evenly split Senate unless they pick up votes from Republicans. Already some routine confirmation proceedings have ground to a halt, threatening President Joe Biden’s potential Supreme Court nominee and already lagging legislative agenda.