EDITORIAL: Sen. Luján thankfully is recovering; concealment of stroke troubling

Feb. 6—We join the many New Mexicans and others around the nation who are pulling for a full and speedy recovery for U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján.

News on Tuesday that the congenial 49-year-old lawmaker from Nambé had suffered a stroke five days earlier shocked New Mexicans and national leaders in Congress, the White House and beyond.

Luján's chief of staff, Carlos Sanchez, says Luján is expected to make a full recovery. That's very good news. As many New Mexicans know from the experience of their loved ones, strokes are very serious diseases that affect the arteries leading to and within the brain. They are the No. 5 cause of death in the U.S. and a leading cause of disability.

Sanchez says Luján started to feel dizzy and fatigued the morning of Jan. 27 and checked himself into Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe. Luján was transferred to University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque for further evaluation, where medical staff determined he had suffered a stroke in the cerebellum. Doctors performed a decompressive surgery to ease swelling.

Cerebellar strokes are a less common type of stroke, but can be severe, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The sufferer may experience a headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, and problems with coordination and balance, including an inability to walk. Left untreated, a cerebellar stroke can be life-threatening.

Luján, who served six terms in the U.S. House before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020, is reportedly resting comfortably. His staff says they've been able to speak with him and that Luján hasn't suffered any paralysis or loss of speech. That's great news.

And it was encouraging in these divisive times to see the well wishes coming from both sides of the political aisle.

"The Republican Party of New Mexico and I are saddened to learn of Sen. Lujan's stroke, and we wish him a speedy recovery," Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Senator and his family during this difficult time."

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said senators were looking forward to Luján's quick return. "My thoughts are with Senator Ben Ray Luján and his family," Schumer tweeted. "I'm so glad to hear that he will make a full recovery."

We join Luján and his family in thanking the doctors and staff at the two hospitals for their care, especially as the pandemic continues to overwhelm our health care system.

Luján, the son of late New Mexico House Speaker Ben Luján, and his family said they would appreciate their privacy. And we certainly want to honor that.

But it's unclear why Luján's office did not inform the public of his health emergency for five full days. It's unfortunate Luján's office didn't respond to Journal questions about the prolonged delay, because people from the East Coast to the West Coast have the same question.

The day after his stroke, Luján or his office gave the impression nothing was amiss, posting on Twitter: "Happy Friday. Our next Supreme Court justice will be a Black woman."

News of Luján's stroke blindsided the Washington establishment. Even Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said he didn't know about it when asked by a reporter.

Luján's absence from the Senate has substantial political ramifications. The Senate is evenly divided with 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats and two independents — Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King Jr. of Maine — who reliably vote with Democrats. Democrats hold a fragile majority because Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate.

The Associated Press reported last week that Luján is expected to be out four to six weeks, barring any complications. His absence from Washington, D.C., could stall President Joe Biden's agenda. Without Luján, one of the Senate's youngest members, the Democratic Party no longer has full day-to-day control of the chamber.

Routine Senate business was rearranged last week. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee announced it would postpone consideration of some of Biden's executive branch nominees because the committee, on which Luján is a member, is evenly split with 14 Democrats and 14 Republicans. Luján serves on four other Senate committees — the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; the Committee on Indian Affairs; and the Committee on the Budget — all of which are equally divided, but chaired by either a Democrat or Bernie Sanders. Obviously, Luján's absence has a major impact on legislation that shapes national policy.

New Mexico voters have put their trust in Luján. While we recognize his desire for privacy, holding such a high office comes with a responsibility to be forthcoming and honest with the public. Concealing such a serious health episode — even misdirecting the public with a tweet after it has occurred — raises legitimate questions.

That said, we wish the senator a full recovery and look forward to seeing him on Capitol Hill soon.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.