Senator Dianne Feinstein Hospitalized in California, Leaving Democrats Without Senate Majority

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Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California has been hospitalized with shingles.

“I was diagnosed over the February recess with a case of shingles,” Feinstein, 89, who has said she will retire when her term ends next year, said in a statement to several outlets, including the Los Angeles Times and KFSN-TV.

“I have been hospitalized and am receiving treatment in San Francisco and expect to make a full recovery. I hope to return to the Senate later this month,” she said in the statement.

The absence of Feinstein and fellow Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania means that the Senate’s Democratic 51-49 majority has temporarily vanished.

With 98 sitting senators, there would be 49 Democrats and 49 Republicans. At least on paper.

However, Senate math is fluid because in addition to Fetterman and Feinstein, there have been other absences, as noted by the Washington Examiner.

Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon missed this week’s votes after his mother died on Monday. Last month, Democratic Sen. Bob Casey missed a stretch of votes when he had prostate cancer surgery.

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