Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D‑VA) announced on Monday that she will not seek re-election next year after being diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder that affects body movements.
Wexton, who is 55 and represents a Northern Virginia district, said she decided to settle on retiring from Congress at the end of her current term upon receiving a troubling health update several months after the congresswoman revealed that she had Parkinson’s disease.
Over the course of treatments and medical evaluations, doctors gave a “modified” diagnosis of Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy, type‑p (PSP‑P), a form of Atypical Parkinsonism that is a kind of ‘Parkinson’s on steroids,’” Wexton explained in a statement.
“I’ve always believed that honesty is the most important value in public service, so I want to be honest with you now – this new diagnosis is a tough one. There is no ‘getting better’ with PSP. I’ll continue treatment options to manage my symptoms, but they don’t work …