Democratic Senate Control in the balance...

[scramjet]

This could change things... all the best to Mr. Johnson and his family.

Senate control hinges on 'stroke'

Senator Johnson and his wife have both had cancer

A US senator has suffered a suspected stroke, raising the possibility that President George W Bush's party will regain control of the Senate. Democratic Senator Tim Johnson's office said he was undergoing tests at George Washington University Hospital.

The Democrats captured control of the upper house of Congress by a single seat in elections last month.

If Senator Johnson, 59, stands down, the Republican governor of his state, South Dakota, will name his successor.

That person - likely to be a Republican - would serve until the next general election in 2008.

President Bush wished Mr Johnson a speedy recovery through a spokeswoman who said the president's thoughts were with Mr Johnson's family.

Cancer scares

Mr Johnson, who turns 60 at the end of December, had prostate cancer in 2004 but says he is now clear of the disease following an operation.

His wife has also had cancer.

There is little precedent for forcing a living senator to stand down against his will.

A predecessor of Mr Johnson, Karl Mundt, continued to hold his Senate seat for three years after a stroke that incapacitated him in 1969, although he was unable...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6178065.stm

[Jbrewster1012]

Now it is being reported that he didn't actually have a stroke.

Johnson, who turns 60 on Dec. 28, was admitted to George Washington University Hospital with an undiagnosed illness, said a spokeswoman, Julianne Fisher.

She said, however, the senator did not suffer a stroke or heart attack. His office had said earlier it was a possible stroke.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061214/ap_on_go_co/johnson

[scramjet]

hmmm wonder what it is. Somebody was reporting that he was in the ICU.

[andrew_c]

Wonder if it was Polonium ?

*Insert Sarcasm here*

[B757300]

It’s starting to sound more like a ruptured aneurysm which can produce very similar symptoms to a stroke.

That said, I pray Senator Johnson recovers from whatever has afflicted him.

As much as I want the GOP to control the Senate, I would never, ever want it to happen like this.

[Longreach747]

how is it that a person who maybe forced to retire or passes away has his successor named by another person, why no by-election? seems quite bizarre that a party who has won the seat can lose it in this manner, what about the fact that the voters obviously didn't vote for a republican in that seat..seems like their say is flushed down the toilet...doesn't seem very democratic if you ask me.

[B757300]

how is it that a person who maybe forced to retire or passes away has his successor named by another person, why no by-election? seems quite bizarre that a party who has won the seat can lose it in this manner, what about the fact that the voters obviously didn't vote for a republican in that seat..seems like their say is flushed down the toilet...doesn't seem very democratic if you ask me.

Actually Senator Johnson wasn't up for reelection this year. He won back in 2002.

But to answer your question as to why the governor can appoint a replacement, the U.S. Constitution provides for him to have that power.

“When vacancies happen in the representation of any state in the Senate, the executive authority of such state shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, that the legislature of any state may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.” -17th Amendment

It does not require the governor to pick someone from the same party as the Senator being replaced although the legislature of a state could likely place that requirement on the governor.

But let’s say Senator Johnson had just won reelection and then had to be replaced. Whoever the governor selected would only serve until 2008 and then during the normal election, someone would be elected to serve out the remaining 4 years of the term. This happened in 2000 in Missouri when John Ashcroft lost to a dead man and the widow was appointed to fill the seat. In 2002 she lost the election to serve out the remainder of the term. The man who replaced her had to run again this year even though he had only served 4 years in the Senate.

[wannabepilot777]

That said, I pray Senator Johnson recovers from whatever has afflicted him.

As much as I want the GOP to control the Senate, I would never, ever want it to happen like this.

Ditto for me. Latest I have heard is that he is currently in surgery and some say it was a stroke, some say it wasn't. I saw a doctor quoted as saying it was a likely stroke and his spokeswoman saying it wasn't one, so who knows. I hope that he gets well soon. He seems to be one of the nicer people in Washington.