Two Members Of Congress Test Positive For Coronavirus For The First Time

Rep. Ben McAdams (D-UT) announces he will vote yes on both articles of impeachment of President Trump on December 16, 2019 in Murray, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Two lawmakers in the House of Representatives, Reps. Ben McAdams (D-UT) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), announced on Wednesday that they have COVID-19. They are the first members of Congress to come down with the coronavirus.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, McAdams revealed that he had taken a test for the coronavirus the day prior after developing “a fever, a dry cough and labored breathing.”

“Today I learned that I tested positive,” McAdams said. “I am still working for Utahns and pursuing efforts to get Utahns the resources they need as I continue doing my job from home until I know it is safe to end my self-quarantine.”

Diaz-Balart also announced that he had tested positive for the illness.

“I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better,” the Republican lawmaker said in a statement. “However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus.”

Like McAdams, Diaz-Balart said that he will continue to work while under quarantine.

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. And back in election news…

  2. And so it begins…

  3. You have to wonder who they’ve been with in meetings. I hope Pelosi is ok. But I could name others about whom I am not so solicitous. And did the Utah idiot fly commercial when he decided to fly home to be sick? If so, everyone on the plane should go after him for intentional infliction of emotional distress and for battery if they get the virus.

  4. Avatar for tao tao says:

    How will we ever convince Congress critters that this is a serious threat? They need to quit buying off on Wrong Way Donnie and act like the rest of the developed world PDQ.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

204 more replies

Participants

Avatar for austin_dave Avatar for jw1 Avatar for imkmu3 Avatar for clemmers Avatar for maxwellsdemon Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for rick Avatar for bonvivant Avatar for lastroth Avatar for greylady Avatar for tao Avatar for dickweed Avatar for pine Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for khyber900 Avatar for maximus Avatar for skeptical Avatar for zillacop Avatar for alanonguitar Avatar for c_stedman Avatar for randome Avatar for emiliano4

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: