GOP Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina was hospitalized after he collapsed at an event in Washington, D.C., on the night of the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the 77-year-old congressman collapsed from what appeared to be a stroke while attending a debate viewing party at the Ukraine House in the nation’s capital.
According to Wilson’s stepson, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, the congressman “experienced stroke-like symptoms,” which the attorney general was told by his mother, Roxanne Dusenbury McCrory, who was at the hospital with her husband when he was admitted and relayed what doctors reported. The attorney general said he was able to speak with his stepfather and reported him “stable” and said he was “being monitored by medical professionals.”
Wilson’s official social media pages later confirmed the incident, announcing that he “was taken ill” and brought to a local D.C. hospital for evaluation.
Fellow lawmakers from South Carolina responded to the news by sending prayers and well wishes. GOP. Rep. Nancy Mace posted that she was praying for him and his family, who she said she spoke with and wished Wilson a speedy recovery. GOP Sen. Tim Scott wished Wilson a speedy recovery, too, calling the congressman his “friend.” The South Carolina GOP also posted about the news and sent “thoughts and prayers” to Wilson as the Dean of the South Carolina Delegation.
Only a few hours before the stroke and subsequent hospitalization, Wilson was on the House floor voting on legislation, and the day before he was at a press conference about a congressional report on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021. That report analyzed the withdrawal and how the Biden administration handled the chaotic exit that resulted in several American service members’ deaths.
Wilson said at that press conference that Biden “lied about having military support for his actions.” He said Biden claimed to have letters of support but could not produce copies of those letters when Wilson wrote to the White House and asked to read them. The congressman also said the withdrawal gave Russian President Vladimir Putin the “green light” to invade Ukraine.
