MINNEAPOLIS (AP)

— Republican U.S. Senate

candidate Jason Lewis of

Minnesota underwent successful

emergency surgery

for a severe internal hernia

on Monday, just eight days

before Election Day, his

campaign announced.

The campaign said

the condition could have

been life-threatening if not

treated quickly. An internal

hernia is a bulge or protrusion

of an organ — often the

bowel into the abdomen. It

can cause an obstruction or

other problems.

But campaign manager

Tom Szymanski said in a

follow-up statement that

his surgery was “successful

and minimally invasive.

Provided that his recovery

continues on a positive trajectory,

doctors anticipate

that he is likely to be released

from the hospital in

the next couple of days.”

Szymanski didn’t say

when Lewis might resume

campaigning.

Lewis, a one-term former

congressman best known to

Minnesota voters from his

days as a conservative talk

radio host, is challenging

incumbent Democratic U.S.

Sen. Tina Smith.

Minnesota Republican

state chair Jennifer Carnahan

told reporters that

Lewis was hospitalized in

Hibbing, where Vice President

Mike Pence was scheduled

to lead a rally Monday

afternoon. Szymanski declined

to disclose where

Lewis was hospitalized, but

he confirmed that Lewis had

planned to attend Pence’s

event.

“Praying for a Successful

Surgery and Quick

Recovery for our Friend

@LewisForMN,” Pence

tweeted. “Today. Minnesota

and America are with you!”

Lewis experienced severe

abdominal pain early

Monday morning and was

taken to an emergency

room, Szymanski said in the

first announcement. “Prior

to being taken to the operating

room, Jason was in good

spirits, optimistic, and true

to form, he was speculating

about when he could resume

campaigning, eager to

continue fighting for his fellow

Minnesotans,” he said.