Bernie Sanders will cancel campaign events until further notice after he experienced chest discomfort at a campaign event on Tuesday evening and received two stents following the discovery of blockage in one artery, his campaign said.
“During a campaign event yesterday evening, Sen. Sanders experienced some chest discomfort. Following medical evaluation and testing he was found to have a blockage in one artery and two stents were successfully inserted. Sen. Sanders is conversing and in good spirits. He will be resting up over the next few days. We are canceling his events and appearances until further notice, and we will continue to provide appropriate updates,” Sanders’ senior adviser Jeff Weaver said in a statement on Wednesday.
Sanders’ campaign on Wednesday also postponed its first television ad buy that was set to begin in Iowa on Thursday.
The 78-year-old Vermont senator is the oldest presidential primary candidate seeking the Democratic nomination. If elected, he would be the oldest president to ever serve in office. President Ronald Reagan, the oldest president ever, was 77 when he left office in 1989.
Sanders is one of three Democratic presidential primary contenders over the age of 70. Former Vice President Joe Biden is 76 and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is 70. Despite some Democratic primary expressing desire for a younger presidential nominee, Sanders, Biden, and Warren have dominated presidential primary polls. President Trump, whom they’re seeking to run against in fall 2020, is 73.
After he ran for president in 2016 on a socialist platform and lost the Democratic nomination to Hillary Clinton, Sanders started his 2020 bid with a large list of supporters and high name recognition. His campaign announced on Tuesday that he raised $25.3 million in the third quarter of the year, and more than 1 million people have donated to his campaign.
Sanders consistently polled in second place behind Biden during the first half of the 2019, but Warren, who advocates for many of the same liberal policies that Sanders champions, saw steady increase of support over the summer and pushed Sanders to third place in recent polls. A Politico/Morning Consult poll released this week found Biden at 32% support among likely Democratic primary voters nationwide, Warren at 21% support, and Sanders receiving 19%.
Hillary Clinton shared her support for her former rival’s health during an appearance on The View.
Clinton said of her 2016 primary rival, “We wish him and hope for the best.”
Hillary Clinton reacts to the news of Sen. Bernie Sanders being hospitalized: “We wish him and hope for the best.” https://t.co/1FEFMADWa8 pic.twitter.com/10mOoMLeaG
— The View (@TheView) October 2, 2019
Many Democratic White House hopefuls on Wednesday shared messages wishing a speedy recovery for Sanders.
Bruce, Team Warren, and I are sending all our best wishes for a speedy recovery to @BernieSanders. I hope to see my friend back on the campaign trail very soon.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) October 2, 2019
All of us here at @PeteForAmerica are sending our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Senator @BernieSanders. We’re thinking of him and his family today, and I look forward to seeing him back on the campaign trail very soon.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) October 2, 2019
Thinking of @BernieSanders today and wishing him a speedy recovery. If there’s one thing I know about him, he’s a fighter and I look forward to seeing him on the campaign trail soon.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 2, 2019
.@DrBiden and I are sending our best wishes to @BernieSanders, Jane, and the whole Sanders family. Anyone who knows Bernie understands what a force he is. We are confident that he will have a full and speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him on the trail soon.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 2, 2019
