DES MOINES, Iowa — Jan 26, 2015, 4:40 PM ET
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad was "conscious and alert" after he fell ill at an event Monday and had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance, his spokesman said.
Branstad, 68, has been fighting a cold, and initial tests indicate he reacted to a "seasonal illness," said spokesman Jimmy Centers.
The governor required assistance at a ribbon-cutting event for a new research center at DuPont Pioneer in the Des Moines suburb of Johnston. State Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, who was in the front row, said Branstad began to struggle with his speech and lose his balance. He was offered a chair before being helped to lie on the floor.
"I basically just held his hand and did what I could do," said Zaun, adding that when the paramedics arrived, they asked Branstad a series of questions and the governor was "100 percent coherent."
Branstad was taken to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.
Earlier in the day, the governor had coughed throughout his regular Monday morning news conference. Asked about his health, he said he had a "bad cold."
Lt. Gov Kim Reynolds appeared Monday afternoon at an education event Branstad was supposed to attend. She said she did not know when he'd be back to work.
"He's had a cold, we've both kind of been suffering from a cold, but he was doing much better. He's doing fine. He'll be fine," Reynolds said.
A spokeswoman for DuPont Pioneer did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Branstad, who recently was re-elected to a sixth non-consecutive term, had a heart attack in December 2000 and doctors inserted a stent in his heart to keep an artery open.
In May 2010, Branstad's doctor located a partially blocked artery in his heart during a routine angiogram. Branstad had a second stent inserted in his heart. He returned to the campaign trail a few days later.
Last month, Branstad had outpatient surgery to treat varicose veins in his legs.
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