Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Penn., said Thursday that he has been removed from Washington, D.C. and is in a rehabilitation facility recovering from a stroke, and won’t return to voting in Washington for about six weeks.
In an aging Congress, Evans has become only the latest representative to suffer a stroke — and it could represent an important power shift in D.C., considering the razor-thin majority held by Republicans in the House.
Evans, 70, described difficulty in moving one of his legs. He plans to leave the rehabilitation facility in about a week, but he expects the issue to impact his walking for some time.
Accordingly, he plans to continue outpatient therapies after leaving the rehabilitation facility.
He recalled receiving a diagnosis this week, and he described the stroke as minor enough to go unnoticed for a few days. Despite the stroke, he remains confident in his long-term ability to serve in Congress.
“I wanted to let my constituents know that I am recovering from a minor stroke, and I want to emphasize the word minor. It was minor enough that I didn’t even realize what had happened for a few days,” Evans said in a statement.
“I received this diagnosis this week and have been taking time to rest and recover and to decide how to go public in a way that would help to educate people. In the coming months, I want to help educate people and remove the stigma that sometimes accompanies strokes — many people can recover and continue on with their life and their work.”
Evans served for 36 years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He chaired the statehouse’s powerful Appropriations Committee. In 2016, he successfully primaried the scandal-ridden Rep. Chaka Fattah, shortly before Fattah’s conviction for public corruption.
Now, Evans represents a Democratic-controlled Philadelphia district known for giving President Joe Biden his best showing of any district in Congress. 91 percent of the district’s electorate voted for Biden in 2020.
“I’m focusing on my healing and would ask for privacy during these six weeks,” Evans concluded.