Pennsylvania state Rep. Dwight Evans (D-3) said he suffered a “minor” stroke but expects to return to Washington within six weeks.
Evans, 70, said in a statement on Thursday that he did not realize what had happened for several days but was diagnosed with a stroke this week. “The primary impact appears to be some difficulty with one leg, which will likely impact my walking for some time, but not my long-term ability to serve the people of Philadelphia,” the statement read.
According to the statement, he is recovering at an inpatient rehabilitation center and is expected to stay there for another week. He asked for privacy during his recovery.
“In the coming months, I want to help educate people and remove the stigma that sometimes accompanies stroke – many people can recover and continue with their lives and work,” Evans said in a statement.
Evans was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016, when the area he represents was still considered part of PA-02. Before being elected to Congress, Evans represented Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for four decades. In April, he won the Democratic primary in PA-03 en route to a fifth term. There is no Republican opponent in November.
In 2022, Evans secured 75% of the vote in a three-candidate primary before winning 95% of the vote in the general election over the Socialist Workers Party candidate in a reliably Democratic district.
