Senator Might Require Amputation After Yard Accident

Sen. Kevin Cramer says he's "alert and in good spirits" after an accident doing yard work over the weekend—but he might be losing a body part. "I sustained a serious injury to my right hand, which required immediate surgery," the North Dakota Republican said in a tweet Wednesday. “I continue to remain in North Dakota close to medical care as there is high risk of infection and the possible need for amputation." Molly Block, his communications director, later clarified that it was his fingers, not his hand, at risk of amputation, the Hill reports.

Block said Cramer, 61, was cracking jokes that his future NFL career was over. Cramer said he plans to return to DC after the Fourth of July recess, CNN reports. "Although I am missing this week of votes and hearings, I am monitoring Senate business closely and in constant contact with my colleagues and staff," he said, adding that he expects to dole out "a lot of left-handed fist bumps" when he returns. (In 2020, Cramer blamed his "fat fingers" for a tweet against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.)