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Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn) Has Prostate Cancer

Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut has reveled that he has prostate cancer. While he is in the early stages of this disease, the questions regarding his health now add to the worries that he is facing for what could be a difficult reelection campaign. Until recently, Senator Dodd was dogged by scandal involving whether or not he received a sweetened home loan.

Senator Dodd’s prognosis is good, according to his office. As a disease, it is one of the most common forms of cancer that men suffer from and is fairly easy to treat compared to most forms of cancer. Depending on the type of cancer, Dodd will likely be on androgen inhibitors to stop the spread of the cancer if it is linked his testosterone levels, as many prostate cancers are. The treatments will knock Dodd off the campaign trail for most of the August recess, which is a major problem for him. The recess is a time when many candidates who are seeking reelection start their campaigns to retain their seats, and the increasingly competitive nature of this race is going to mean that Dodd cannot waste any time on recovery.

Senator Dodd has had some major issues with regards to his personal and the national finances. Dodd, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee has faced questions over his handling of the financial meltdown which began back in September of ‘08. Making matters worse, he has been accused of receiving VIP treatment in pursuing a home loan, and that might have been ethically shady.

Senator Dodd is not likely to bow out of the race for a sixth term in office; however, his health may be an issue. He has also expressed that his recovery will not impact the crafting of the healthcare reform legislation. Given that most legislation discussed during the recess is done through emails and telecommunication lines, it would be highly unlikely that anything short of major surgery would interrupt the legislative process for any given lawmaker. What the recovery time does is put the kibosh on his attending campaign events and fundraisers. Right now, his opponents have raised close to $1.25 million between them, but that also has to fund their primary battle on the GOP side. Right now, Nate Silver at 538 is listing this race as the fourth most likely to change parties. It ranks behind Missouri, Kentucky, and New Hampshire for the July rankings. It is also the highest ranking seat with an incumbent in it to face a change of party. This is largely due to the political scandals that have plagued Dodd and the questions that have arisen over his handling of the banking crisis.

Senator Dodd voted to expand hate crimes legislation to include sexual orientation, but has stated repeatedly that he opposes same-sex marriage. He had supported civil unions; however, his views on this issue changed as the people of his state become more willing to support marriage equality. Senator Dodd recently came out in favor of marriage equality. Connecticut is one of six states which currently allow marriage between same-sex couples.

Senator Dodd has become a champion of healthcare reform largely due to the influence of his friend Senator Ted Kennedy, who has brain cancer. Dodd is not the only politician who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Both Senator John Kerry and New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani have had it, and both have recovered after treatment.

Correction: Senator Dodd has since come out in support of same-sex marriage. Due to internet issues, I was unable to verify this change prior to going to press. This article has been fixed to reflect the new information. Thank you.

Dodd has prostate cancer, prognosis good
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