Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., announced Monday she will not seek reelection in 2024 after receiving a new diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy.
Wexton, 55, was initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease earlier this year. At the time, she said she was “feeling good” and hoped to continue serving in Congress for many years.
But in a statement on Monday, Wexton explained she wasn’t making the progress she’d hoped for in managing her symptoms and noticed others in her Parkinson’s support group weren’t having the same experience…
…Wexton was first elected to Congress in 2018 when she defeated longtime Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock, ending nearly four decades of GOP control of the North Virginia district.
I’m sure you didn’t mean for your comment to come across negatively, but “able-bodied” carries some history of stigmatizing folks with physical limitations. If you meant “able to perform their duties as a congress person” then I very much agree; that’s a trend I’d support in spite of a very real concern that it’s only the kinds of people who should stick around that will willingly give up their access and power.
“able-bodied” has always meant able to perform duties