Stroger Suffers Stroke

By Amy Hart in News on Mar 15, 2006 2:17PM

Cook County Board President John Stroger suffered a stroke yesterday, and his political future is now uncertain. He was taken to the hospital yesterday morning after complaining of feeling tired and experiencing pain in his legs.

Stroger, age 76, is unable to walk, has slurred speech, and feels disoriented. He is in intensive care, but in stable condition. He shows no signs of hemorrhaging or swelling in the brain, although it is uncertain if he will ever walk again. His doctor has advised him to stop campaigning and said it could be over a month before he can go back to work. The doctor also believes Stroger suffered a series of mini-strokes before yesterday.

Forrest Claypool, Stroger's primary opponent, has pulled all of his negative campaign advertising and wished Stroger a speedy recovery. Meanwhile Democratic leaders are trying to figure out if Stroger will remain on the ticket. The most recent Tribune poll shows Stroger ahead of Claypool by ten percent, with fifteen percent of voters still undecided. If Stroger quits before the March 21st primary, Claypool would automatically become the Democratic nominee, which is why we expect Stroger to stay on the ticket for now.

Image via Chicago Defender