Ron Johnson Joins List Of GOP Senators Testing Positive For Coronavirus
Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson on Saturday became the third U.S. senator to test positive for COVID-19 this week, joining GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina who also announced their test results.
The development follows a wave of positive coronavirus cases at the White House, where President Trump and several of his campaign and administration officials have tested positive. Many of those individuals, including Lee and Tillis, attended a Rose Garden event a week ago where Trump announced Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court justice nominee. Johnson did not attend that event. At the time, he was under quarantine for exposure to another positive case.
"Senator Johnson feels healthy and is not experiencing symptoms," Ben Voelkel, a spokesman for Johnson, said in a statement. "He will remain isolated until given the all-clear by his doctor."
When that happens, Johnson is slated to return to the Capitol.
The positive tests for the Republican senators raises questions about whether the Senate GOP will have a majority to confirm Barrett's nomination before the Nov. 3 election — a top priority for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell has said he will press ahead with the process.
Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, returned last Tuesday to Washington after completing a 14-day quarantine where he had tested negative. However, his office said he was exposed again this week to a new positive case, and resulted positive after testing again on Friday.
Both Johnson and Tillis have said they aren't experiencing any symptoms from the illness. Lee has said he was suffering from allergy-like symptoms, and sought the test soon after. The senators, both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, have said they plan to leave their quarantines in 10 days — in time for a planned Oct. 12 hearing to confirm Barrett.
McConnell and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, both said Friday that their accelerated plans to approve Barrett by Election Day are still on track.
"I'm planning to move to the nomination as soon as it comes out of committee," McConnell told reporters in Kentucky.
The effort could reach the Senate floor as early as Thursday, Oct. 22, following the Judiciary hearings.
Every Republican vote will count, as McConnell is facing tight margins to confirm Barrett. Democrats have largely said they are opposed to the process, potentially leaving McConnell with his 53-member majority to move Barrett's nomination forward.
Two Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — have signaled they will vote no on the confirmation ahead of Election Day. That potentially leaves McConnell with a 51-member majority for the potential vote. However, the Republican Senate is still on track to meet those plans.
With Lee and Tillis expected in time for the confirmation hearings Oct. 12, Johnson could be released soon after if he completes a traditional 14-day quarantine. If so, Johnson would be back at the Capitol well ahead of the vote for Barrett's confirmation. [Copyright 2020 NPR]
