Rep. Jennifer Wexton announced Monday that she will not seek re-election in 2024 due to a recent diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurological disorder.
Before Monday’s announcement, the Virginia Democrat, 55, had been receiving treatment for Parkinson’s disease, which she had previously been diagnosed with. Wexton has since been diagnosed with a more aggressive neurological disorder, which she described as “Parkinson’s on steroids.”
“When I shared my Parkinson’s diagnosis with the world a few months ago, I knew the road ahead would have its challenges, and I’ve worked hard to deal with those challenges through consistent treatments and therapies,” Wexton wrote in a statement. “But I wasn’t making as much progress in managing my symptoms as I had hoped, and I noticed that the women in my Parkinson’s support group weren’t having the same experiences as me. I sought additional medical opinions and testing, and my doctors changed my diagnosis to progressive supranuclear palsy – a sort of ‘Parkinson’s disease on steroids’.”
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Wexton continued: “I have always believed that honesty is the most important value in public service, so I want to be honest with you now – this new diagnosis is difficult. There is no “getting better” with the PSP. I will continue with treatment options to manage my symptoms, but they are not working as well with my condition as they do with Parkinson’s.”
PSP is a rare neurological disorder that “affects body movements, walking and balance, and eye movements,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. It is caused by “damage to nerve cells in areas of the brain that control thinking and body movements.” Although some of its symptoms are similar to Parkinson’s disease, patients’ symptoms usually develop later in life and can worsen rapidly.
“I am heartbroken to have to give up something I loved after so many years of service to my community. “However, taking into account the prognosis for my health in the coming years, I have made the decision not to run again after the end of my term and instead to spend my precious time with Andrew, our boys and my friends and loved ones,” the politician added.
In 2018, Wexton was elected to the US House of Representatives for Virginia’s 10th congressional district. She defeated two-term Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock.
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Wexton was up for re-election in 2020 and 2022. Before serving in Congress, she was a Virginia state senator. She and her husband Andrew Wexton have two sons.
Wexton concluded her official statement by emphasizing her sadness at ending her public service in 2024. “I will forever cherish the people from our communities and across the country that I have met, the challenges we have faced together, and the ways in which, big and small, my team and I made a difference in the lives of our neighbors.”
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She added, “Although my time in Congress will soon be over, I am as confident and committed as ever to continue the work that brought me to this fight for my remaining time in office – to help build the future we want for our children. I am truly humbled by the trust Virginians have placed in me and I look forward to continuing to serve the people of our district.”
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Source: HIS Education