Many in Washington, D.C. are in poor health. Now it’s all coming to a head.
Because this GOP Senator was rushed to the hospital with a scary diagnosis.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) is recovering from a severe concussion, a seizure, and a slight brain bleed after a hard fall on the ice near his lake house in North Dakota on Sunday. The 64-year-old lawmaker revealed his condition in a Facebook post on Monday, describing the accident and his uncertain timeline for returning to work.
Cramer explained that he slipped on a frozen hill while doing cleanup work outside his home.
“While walking on the hill down to the dock, I stepped on ice and evidently fell hard, hitting the back of my head,” Cramer wrote.
The fall knocked him unconscious until he arrived at a local emergency room, accompanied by his wife, Kris.
“After seeing the emergency doctor, taking some tests, including a CT scan, and seeing a neurologist, I was diagnosed with a severe concussion, a seizure, and a slight brain bleed,” he added.
Doctors had to place two staples in his head to close a persistent wound that would not stop bleeding. Photos shared in his post show a bloody trail in the snow-covered backyard and the senator’s stapled scalp.
Despite being discharged, Cramer reported ongoing internal bleeding and “pretty bad headaches,” leaving his return to Senate duties up in the air.
He acknowledged his wife’s efforts to prioritize brain health, joking that he should pay closer attention to her advice.
“Every day, Kris texts our family tips on how to care for our brains. She is a strong advocate for decisions which promote brain health. I need to pay more attention to her,” he said, adding, “I am grateful for her and the professionals at Sanford who take such good care of me. God is good!”
Cramer’s fall makes him the second Republican senator to suffer an injury recently. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) took a spill in December on Capitol Hill, leaving him with facial scrapes and a sprained wrist.
The North Dakota senator’s absence shrinks the GOP Senate majority to 52 members, though Republicans have already notched major victories advancing President Trump’s agenda.
Just last week, the Senate passed a multi-trillion dollar budget framework, pushing forward the administration’s bold economic vision. Cramer was also present for the confirmation of several of Trump’s most controversial nominees, including:
- Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard
- FBI Director Kash Patel
The Senate could soon vote on Education Secretary-designate Linda McMahon, whose nomination recently cleared committee.
Cramer’s personal life has also been marked by tragedy. Late last year, his son Ian Cramer was sentenced to 28 years in prison for his role in a deadly high-speed chase that k*lled a sheriff’s deputy.
During his trial, Ian admitted to using methamphetamine and bath salts on the day of the crash in December 2023. The senator has spoken openly about his son’s serious mental disorders, which he says cause severe paranoia and hallucinations.
As Cramer recovers, Republicans continue to move full speed ahead with Trump’s agenda — but his absence points to the fragility of their narrow majority in the Senate.
