Bernie Sanders cancels campaign events and major ad buy following heart procedure

(Image credit: Getty Images)

last updated 2 October 2019

The campaign for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced Wednesday that the 78-year-old Democratic presidential candidate experienced chest discomfort during an event Tuesday, and medical tests revealed "blockage in one artery." Sanders subsequently had two stents inserted.

The statement said the senator is "conversing and in good spirits," but that his events and appearances will be canceled "until further notice."

The campaign is also canceling an Iowa television advertisement, The New York Times reports.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

While speculations about how this could affect Sanders' campaign and the Democratic primary as a whole are sure to roll in, the priority right now is Sanders' health, and his fellow candidates are already wishing him the best. Tim O'Donnell

Update 11:40 am ET: The Sanders campaign has reportedly clarified they are postponing, not canceling the Iowa ad, HuffPost reports.

Explore More

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.