Joe Biden’s agenda in danger after Democrat Senator Ben Ray Luján hit by sudden stroke

Without the lawmaker’s presence, the party no longer has full control of the Senate, throwing the president’s potential Supreme Court nomination into doubt

Luján is expected to make a full recovery, but Biden has been deprived of a crucial vote amid the collapse of his Build Back Better Act and voting legislation

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US President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with Vice-President Kamala Harris and Senators Dick Durbin and Chuck Grassley in the Oval Office on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:50am, 3 Feb 2022Updated: 4:05am, 3 Feb 2022

The Democrats’ fragile hold on the US Senate majority became even more tenuous on Wednesday with the sudden illness of New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Luján, which sent shock waves through the party and threatens President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court pick and already lagging legislative agenda.

The senator’s office announced that the 49-year-old remained hospitalised after suffering a stroke and is expected to make a full recovery. But Senate colleagues were blindsided by the news – even top-ranking leaders were reportedly unaware that Luján fell ill last Thursday, a stunning oversight.

Without his presence, the party no longer has full day-to-day control of what has been an evenly split Senate, throwing Biden’s potential Supreme Court nomination and even routine business into doubt in the face of Republican objections.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke of the “awful, frightening” situation, but remained hopeful that Luján would be “back to his old self” before too long.

US Senator Ben Ray Luján speaks on Capitol Hill in September. Photo: AP

“The US Senate will continue to move forward in carrying out its business,” Schumer said Wednesday. “All of us are rooting for him every step of the way – between now and the day he makes his return to the Senate.”