Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina 'seems to be OK' after marble staircase fall at US Capitol

Danielle Battaglia, McClatchy Washington Bureau on Jan 3, 2025

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WASHINGTON — Rep. Virginia Foxx “seems to be OK” after falling down a marble staircase at the U.S. Capitol on Friday afternoon following a vote to elect House Speaker Mike Johnson for a second term as the chamber’s leader.

Foxx’s spokesman, Alex Ives, said in a text message that Foxx, a North Carolina Republican, slipped while walking down the stairs outside the House chamber after going upstairs to talk with her family in the gallery. The gallery is a balcony that overlooks the chamber from which members of the public can watch floor proceedings.

The stairs are worn from decades of use.

“After being helped to her feet, and looked over by medical personnel, she proceeded on her own to the Attending Physician’s office to get treated for a few individual cuts,” Ives said. “Everything seems to be okay.”

The Capitol has an onsite physician for members of Congress and staff.

After being checked out, Foxx reminded her constituents, “I’m a mountain woman, and we’re tougher than a $2 steak.”

Reporters who witnessed Foxx’s fall said that she was holding her nose and had blood on her face and leg. The stairs were temporarily blocked for cleanup.

Friday marked the first day of the 119th session of Congress, which includes choosing a speaker, swearing in members and voting on the rules of the House.

The latter had not yet happened at the time of Foxx’s fall.

Foxx had taken a key role in events Friday, sitting behind Rep. Lisa McClain, a Republican from Michigan, as McClain nominated Johnson for speaker, serving as a teller who recorded each House member’s vote for speaker, and helping to negotiate with Republicans when it seemed Johnson wouldn’t win his first round of votes.

Foxx and other Republicans’ efforts were successful, and Johnson was able to change two Republicans’ minds who had voted against him, before the vote was called.

Johnson was reelected House speaker on the first vote.

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