Indiana Rep. Jim Baird and his wife are being hospitalized following a serious car crash, President Donald Trump confirmed in televised comments to House Republicans Monday.
“They’re going to be OK, but they had a pretty bad accident,” Trump said at the top of his address to a House GOP legislative retreat, where he also paid tribute to the late California Rep. Doug LaMalfa following his sudden death Monday.
Speaker Mike Johnson also addressed LaMalfa’s death and Baird’s hospitalization before Trump spoke, according to four people granted anonymity to describe the closed-door comments. Johnson said he believed Baird was dealing with a spinal issue.
It is not clear where the crash involving Baird, 80, took place. Another Indiana Republican, Rep. Jackie Walorski, was killed in a 2022 auto collision that also claimed the lives of two congressional aides and another driver.
House Republicans are already dealing with a tight 218-213 margin following LaMalfa’s death. Baird’s hospitalization could further complicate Johnson’s ability to wrangle his majority in the coming weeks — effectively leaving him with a two-vote margin.
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