White House press secretary Jen Psaki expressed well wishes for Democratic New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, who suffered a stroke last Thursday, yet she declined to say whether his absence will delay President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.
Psaki, asked about Lujan at Wednesday’s press briefing, told reporters that Biden has not yet spoken to the New Mexico Democrat but that the entire White House has “all been thinking of Sen. Lujan and his family.”
“I know his team put out an update on his recovery last night, and he’s 49 years old,” she continued. “So, I would also note that, but I would point you to them for any specifics on his status. Of course, we’re thinking about him, his family, his entire team, at this point in time.”
Still, Psaki claimed to not be aware of concerns raised by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons and other lawmakers about how Lujan’s stroke effectively cost Democrats their slim majority in the Senate. The chamber is split 50-50 and under Democratic control due to Vice President Kamala Harris’s tiebreaking vote.
SEN. BEN RAY LUJAN SUFFERS STROKE, EXPECTED TO MAKE FULL RECOVERY
“Well, life is precious, as we know. You are most familiar with the average age of senators in the Senate, but that is true on both sides of the aisle,” Psaki responded after a reporter outlined Coons’s comments. “I would just say, we spend most of our time engaging in good faith about the president’s agenda and not making those calculations.”
If Lujan does not return to the Senate soon, it’s possible Democrats will not be able to confirm Biden’s Supreme Court nominee, to be named by the end of the month, without wooing Republican votes.
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You can watch Wednesday’s entire briefing below.
