Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, was choking on food during a luncheon Thursday when fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky performed the Heimlich maneuver on her.
The incident occurred during a closed-door Republican lunch in the Capitol.
Senators told a Politico reporter that Ernst was going to be OK.
Ernst, 53, was seen walking in the Capitol after the incident. She went on Twitter to confirm the reports, and she even joked about it.
“Can’t help but choke on the woke policies Dems are forcing down our throats,” Ernst said. “Thanks, Dr. @RandPaul!”
Take a look —
Can’t help but choke on the woke policies Dems are forcing down our throats. Thanks, Dr. @RandPaul! https://t.co/OJDdqpQXjR
— Joni Ernst (@SenJoniErnst) November 30, 2023
Paul once worked as an eye doctor, and he maintains a medical license.
However, everyday people can perform the Heimlich maneuver, too. Parents often perform it on their children. In fact, some choking victims sometimes administer the maneuver on themselves by slamming their own abdomens onto surfaces like chairs and countertops.
It remains unclear whether choking is a recurring issue for Ernst. It also remains unclear whether Paul resorted to abdominal thrusts immediately or whether he first tried slapping Ernst on the back.
The Red Cross recommends encouraging the victim to cough and administering five black blows followed by five abdominal thrusts. Meanwhile, the Australian Resuscitation Council recommends chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts. Henry Heimlich himself advised against back blows, but his research was criticized for conflicts of interest.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.