A Maryland congressman rushed back from surgery on Friday to vote for the next Speaker of the House — still in his hospital socks.
Congressman David Trone, a Democrat who represents Maryland’s 6th District, had to miss Friday’s earliest vote for a shoulder surgery that couldn’t be rescheduled.
“We are in close coordination with the Democratic leadership, and Rep. Trone plans to return to Washington as soon as possible and remain there for as long as it takes to elect a Speaker,” Sasha Galbreath, Trone’s communication direction, said in a statement posted to her Twitter feed.
But that didn’t keep him away from the House floor for long: Trone rushed back to the U.S. Capitol just in time for Friday afternoon’s second vote, the 13th overall.
“Back at the Capitol, still wearing my slippers and hospital socks,” Trone said in a tweet that quickly went viral. “Time to vote for Hakeem Jeffries!”
7AM: Surgery
2PM: Back at the Capitol, still wearing my slippers and hospital socksTime to vote for Hakeem Jeffries! pic.twitter.com/Xvyg8VL4Wp
— Rep. David Trone (@RepDavidTrone) January 6, 2023
Trone received a standing ovation from the Democratic caucus, as vote margins remain razor-thin and the absence or swaying of any member could alter the playing field.
The House remained at an impasse Friday evening as Republican leader Kevin McCarthy continued to vie for the Speakership.
McCarthy’s aspirations lurched closer to reality in the afternoon with a number of holdouts flipping in his favor — but six conservatives stood their ground.
Andy Harris, Maryland’s sole Republican representative in Congress, peeled away from the opposition to join McCarthy’s side on the 13th ballot.
“Washington and Congress are broken,” Harris tweeted after the vote. “If the agreement we were able to finalize over the last few days is implemented, it will be the greatest change in how the House operates and becomes much more responsive to the American people in a least two generations.”
