Congressman Walter Jones out for rest of year with illness

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Longtime incumbent Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) will be out for the rest of the year due to an illness, according to reports.

“North Carolina Rep. Walter Jones will miss the remainder of the current congressional term because of illness.

The Herald-Sun of Durham reports the 75-year-old 3rd District Republican hasn’t cast a roll call vote since Sept. 26. Jones has missed the last 27 roll call votes in the U.S. House of Representatives, including some in late September and since the House re-convened in November.

Last Tuesday, he was granted a leave of absence for the rest of 2018. His office said Jones plans to return to Washington on Jan. 3, the first day of the new Congress, but offered no specifics on Jones’ illness. No one from his office responded for a request for additional comment Monday.

Jones’ district includes Kinston, Greenville, New Bern and the northern half of the coast.”

Jones, a Republican, is 75 years old. The lack of specifics regarding his illness is foreboding. If his health deteriorated to the point of having to resign from congress, it would bring on a special election to replace him in North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District.

The 2020 elections were already going to feature an open seat race for the 3rd District because Jones announced during the 2018 campaign that this would be his last term in office.