TRENTON — Former U.S. Rep. John Adler is in the hospital after undergoing emergency heart surgery. “Former Representative John Adler had emergency heart surgery after contracting staph bacterial endocarditis,” said a statement from Adler’s law firm, Greenberg Traurig. “He is recuperating in the hospital in the company of his family. At this time, Mr. Adler and his family request...
Former U.S. Rep. John Adler in a 2009 file photo. Adler recently underwent heart surgery.TRENTON — Former U.S. Rep. John Adler is in the hospital after undergoing emergency heart surgery.
“Former Representative John Adler had emergency heart surgery after contracting staph bacterial endocarditis,” said a statement from Adler’s law firm, Greenberg Traurig. “He is recuperating in the hospital in the company of his family. At this time, Mr. Adler and his family request that their wishes for privacy be respected. Thank you for all your good wishes and show of friendship and support.”
No further information on Adler’s condition was immediately available, or when he underwent the surgery.
Adler, 51, served just one term in the House before being defeated by U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan (R-3rd. Dist) in November. He joined Greenberg Traurig last month.
Adler was the first Democrat to represent his traditionally Republican congressional district since the late 19th century, and lost narrowly to Runyan after a close and hard fought campaign. Before serving in the House, he was a state senator and Cherry Hill councilman.
According to Adler's campaign biography, his father died of heart disease at age 47, after a series of heart attacks kept him from working and led to the loss of his family's dry cleaning business. Adler was a teenager at the time, and he and his mother lived off of social security benefits.