Ayanna Pressley Cancels Campaign Event Due To Dehydration, Exhaustion After Historic Win
BOSTON (CBS) -- Ayanna Pressley, poised to be the first black woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress, canceled a campaign event the day after her groundbreaking victory due to health reasons.
"After an intense few days on the trail and a unity event this morning, Councilor Pressley is dealing with some symptoms of dehydration and exhaustion," Campaign manager Sarah Groh said in an email to media. "We will be cancelling the remainder of today's schedule and will keep you updated about public events
tomorrow."
Temperatures in the Boston area have been in the 80s and 90s in recent days.
Pressley was scheduled to thank volunteers and supporters at her campaign headquarters Wednesday afternoon. She routed 10-term Congressman Michael Capuano in an upset that's made headlines nationwide.
On Wednesday morning Pressley made an appearance at a Democratic unity event that celebrated all of the Democratic winners and specifically supported gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez. Pressley, a Boston City Councilor, won the Democratic primary for the 7th congressional district and will run unopposed this November.
Pressley opened her remarks by saying "I will tell you the truth: one, for the last six months, I've been double fisting Red Bull and cold brew. This morning, I had none. I am going through withdrawals." She also joked that her "cute little yellow neon shoes" were hurting her.
She also discussed her personal uphill battle and the impact her mother had on her. "She made sure that I was never cynical about humanity. That I kept steadfast about the hope of our world, and more importantly to the promise of the Democratic party. My mother was a super voter. For many reasons in our lives, we felt invisible and voiceless but my mother made sure I knew that on Election Day, we were powerful."
Her mother also taught her that it was both a right and a duty to vote and hold government accountable, Pressley said. "I want to be a vote, a voice, and a partner... When I have said that the people closest to the pain should be the closest to the power, driving and informing the policy-making -- that was never about me. That was about the residents of the Massachusetts 7th congressional district who I have legislated in partnership with, who I have governed with these last eight years on the Boston City Council. I know that wherever the pain exists, the solutions exist within that community as well."
Holding true to the event's intent, Pressley encouraged others to continue their hard work for others on the Democratic ticket. "What I know is that politicians manage government, visionaries lead a commonwealth and what we have at the top of this ticket is a visionary who will innovate, who will be bold, which is what these time require and what our Commonwealth deserves," she said referring to Gonzalez.
Before introducing the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, she thanked volunteers for creating a "movement" because "the hate coming out of this White House will never be defeated singularly by any one of us, it can only be defeated by a movement."
"We are at a crossroad, this could be our darkest hour or it can be our finest. I am I betting on it being our finest," Pressley said.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who was also present, endorsed Jay Gonzalez for governor, praised the Democratic party for its unity, and personally congratulated Pressley. "I want to say I am so proud for my new congresswoman, who got elected yesterday who worked so hard for the last six months, and I can tell you she worked really hard. I want to congratulate you, Councilor Pressley, for a well-fought fight. We should all be inspired by her passion and her talents. The campaign yesterday demonstrated the impact that she is going to have in Washington and that is something that is really important," Walsh said.
In the 3rd Congressional District, 10 candidates ran in the Democratic primary. With 100 percent of the votes in, results show Lori Trahan has beaten Dan Koh by 52 votes. A recount is not out of the question.
Senator Elizabeth Warren has already agreed to three debates against her newly appointed Republican opponent, Geoff Diehl.
