New Jersey conservative GOP congressional candidate Steve Lonegan’s grandson is in the ICU at Hackensack Hospital after he stopped breathing, Breitbart News has learned.
An email Lonegan sent to some close friends and supporters noted that at 9:30 p.m. Sunday evening, newborn Alex stopped breathing before being revived and brought to the hospital.
“We do not know the cause,” Lonegan wrote. “This is the most difficult thing I have ever faced in my life and I am besides myself with grief for my beautiful daughter Katie, my son in law Kevin and cannot express the anguish over what is happening to my grandson. Please pray for my grandson and his recovery. The doctors say the next three days are critical.”
Lonegan’s heartfelt note continued: “I have worked all my life to assure the safety and happiness of my family. My daughter has blessed me with a beautiful gift on my birthday. One that could not be surpassed. I would do anything in the world to shield her from the suffering she is going through right now. Alex needs your prayers.”
Alex was born on Sunday April 27, which also happens to be Lonegan’s birthday.
Lonegan ran for the U.S. Senate last year in the special election for now-deceased Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s seat. He lost to Cory Booker, who was then the mayor of Newark. Lonegan’s campaign earned great interest from the conservative movement, with support from titans like former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, radio’s Mark Levin, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Red State’s Erick Erickson, the Tea Party Express and more. Lonegan, who is legally blind because of retinitis pigmentosa he was diagnosed with at the age of 14, came within striking distance of Booker toward the end of the race though he finished a little over 10 percentage points behind Booker.
Lonegan is running now for the open seat of New Jersey’s third congressional district. Another Republican, Tom MacArthur, is also running for the seat. The GOP nominee in that district primary is expected to win the seat.
Since Lonegan’s first email to friends asking them to pray Monday afternoon around 5 p.m., Alex’s condition has stabilized. He’s still not out of the woods yet, so we hope readers here at Breitbart News join us in praying for Alex, Lonegan’s grandson.