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House Speaker Mike Busch, one of Maryland's three most powerful elected officials, underwent cardiac bypass surgery on Wednesday, a spokesman for his office said.
The Annapolis Democrat is expected to stay in hospital for about a week, Busch chief of staff Alexandra Hughes said Thursday. Once released, he will have to stay home and rest for another one to two weeks.
Mr. Busch, age 71, is in the midst of re-election campaign in District 30. Mr. Hughes said the operation would not affect Mr. Busch's campaign plans.
Surgery is the second major health problem for Busch in just over a year.
The president of the chamber announced in early June 2017 that he had received a liver transplant after doctors diagnosed him with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a form of liver disease. His recovery lasted several weeks and he was back at work when the General Assembly met again in January.
In a statement released on Thursday, Hughes said Busch had gone to the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore for a routine test on Wednesday. He was suffering from shortness of breath and the doctors recommended additional tests to determine the cause.
Based on the results of the test, Busch underwent bypass surgery around 19:00. Doctors may recommend cardiac bypass surgery when one or more of the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart muscles become partially blocked.
"He is awake, alert and should recover fully. He will return to work and the election campaign in the coming weeks, "said Hughes.
The operation comes just months after Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamentz died of a heart attack in May when he was campaigning for the Democratic nomination for governorship.
The wishes of a speedy recovery came from both sides of the political corridor.
"I wish President Busch the best as he goes through a difficult operation," said Governor Larry Hogan in a statement issued by his office.
"Yumi and I are sending our prayers to Mike and his family while he is recovering, and I look forward to continuing our work soon."
Ben Jealous, Hogan's Democratic rival, made a similar statement throughout his campaign.
"My thoughts and prayers go to President Busch and his family as he recovers," he said. "I am happy to hear that he expects a full recovery and I look forward to seeing him again soon."
Of the. Herb McMillan, the Republican who shares the neighborhood with Busch, described the speaker as only political foe and wished him the best. McMillan announced after the end of the session in April that he would not seek re-election.
"I wish him a speedy recovery and a long life," he said on Thursday.
Busch is on the November newsletter with Alice Cain. They face Republicans Bob O'Shea and Chelsea Gill. It was not clear immediately whether the new health problem would impact his re-election bid.
"Bob is eager to join the campaign and see him there and wishes him a speedy recovery," said a spokesman for the campaign.
The campaign has been relatively dormant since the June primary, with little sign of competition. The Annapolis area – which has a Democratic majority – has seen few candidate forums and there are not many campaign signs along the region's roads.
Busch was the first candidate to vote in the Democratic and Republican primary, with 5,832 votes. O'Shea was the best Republican with 2,091 votes.
Much more attention has been paid to the Senate seat of District 30, where Senator John Astle is retiring. Former delegate Ron George is seeking to return to the General Assembly, but must overcome Sarah Elfreth, a former Democratic club leader in her first candidacy for public office.
Busch, married with two grown children, was elected to the District 30 House in 1987 and succeeded his mentor, Cas Taylor, in 2003 after the West Maryland delegate lost his seat.
As a speaker, he is one of the most powerful personalities in the Maryland government, along with Hogan, an Annapolis Republican, and Senate Speaker Mike Miller, D-Prince George's. He has long been seen as a strong advocate for increased spending in public schools.
But he has also been a very partisan figure who is a frequent target for Republican campaign efforts. Last year, he was interviewed as part of a lawsuit involving Maryland's 2010 legislative redrafting process.
In August, he announced that Democrats would seek an amendment to the state constitution to protect the abortion rights of an increasingly conservative US Supreme Court and a Congress and the White House held by Republicans.
In response to the deadly shooting at the Capital Gazette in June, Busch said: The capital he planned to sponsor legislation prohibiting 3D printed weapons in Maryland.
Although Busch represents a district and county divided between Republican, Democrat and Independent voters, he is the leader of the Progressive Democratic majority of delegates from Montgomery and Prince George counties, as well as the city of Baltimore.
In addition to working as a speaker in the House, a work that extends beyond the 90-day legislative session in Annapolis, Mr. Busch is Assistant Director of the Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks Department.
Busch plans to retire next month. Hughes said the retirement party scheduled for mid-October remains in the speakers' calendar.
Get Get cards and messages can be sent to the Busch office at State House H-101, Annapolis, MD 21401, or by e-mail at [email protected].
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