Interestingly, the deep blue state of Illinois sent a Republican Senator to Washington. His name is Mark Kirk. Sadly, Senator Kirk was felled by an ischemic stroke over the weekend, an affliction that necessitated emergency surgery on Sunday night.

On Saturday, Senator Kirk, 52, checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital after feeling dizzy. Diagnosed with a stroke Kirk was quickly moved to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for surgery to remove a section of his skull to allow the pressure on his brain to be relieved.

Kirk’s doctors have reported that the Senator will likely have difficulty moving his left arm and leg, but that his speech should not be affected as the part of his brain in which he suffered his stroke does not affect speech.

In a press conference Monday, Kirk’s Doctors said that his chance of experiencing a full physical recovery “is not good.” However, the doctors said that he should recover full speech and mental capacities.

Kirk will have a hard road of rehabilitation ahead, but prognosis seems good so far.

Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam (R, 6th District), the Chief Deputy Whip of the House, released a statement in the afternoon on Monday.

“I was disturbed to hear about Senator Kirk. Elizabeth and I have Mark and his family in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time. He’s a great friend, senator, and leader for Illinois. On behalf of the people of the Sixth District, we hope Senator Kirk enjoys a full and speedy recovery.”

Kirk was a surprise successor for Obama’s Senate seat. After Obama’s great Democrat victory in 2008, no one expected a Republican to take his own Senate seat back in Illinois. But 2010 brought a wave of Republicans to Washington and Kirk took Obama’s former seat in that wave.

Kirk moved to the Senate from serving as Congressman of the 10th Congressional District.

We are all hopeful that Senator Kirk recovers and can resume his duties as soon as practicable.