Sen. Mark Kirk (R)

Mark Kirk’s office put out a statement just a little while ago:

“On Saturday, Senator Kirk checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital, where doctors discovered a carotid artery dissection in the right side of his neck. He was transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where further tests revealed that he had suffered an ischemic stroke. Early this morning the senator underwent surgery to relieve swelling around his brain stemming from the stroke. The surgery was successful. Due to his young age, good health and the nature of the stroke, doctors are very confident in the senator’s recovery over the weeks ahead.”

Kirk is 52. He was elected to the Senate in 2010, to fill what had once been President Obama’s seat. Prior to that, he’d served five terms in the House in Illinois’s 10th Congressional District. Needless to say, we wish him well in his recovery and will update with any further information as we get it.

Daily Kos