2020 candidates send support after Biden press secretary diagnosed with lung cancer

Several Democratic presidential candidates responded with support to the news that former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign press secretary is facing a cancer diagnosis.

“Some upsetting news to share & explanation for why I’ve been MIA recently: after a bunch of tests, I’ve been diagnosed w/ metastatic lung cancer. Which sucks a lot. I’m starting treatment Monday, & my doctors — who have been incredible — believe we can get this into remission,” TJ Ducklo, Biden’s press secretary, tweeted Saturday.

Some upsetting news to share & explanation for why I’ve been MIA recently: after a bunch of tests, I’ve been diagnosed w/ metastatic lung cancer. Which sucks a lot. I’m starting treatment Monday, & my doctors — who have been incredible — believe we can get this into remission. 1/

— TJ Ducklo (@TDucklo) December 21, 2019

Biden shared his campaign staffer’s tweet, writing, “TJ: Stay strong. Me, Jill, and the whole Biden family are with you. Not just in spirit — for anything. You have the right attitude. You are going to beat this and when you do, we are going to be there to celebrate. Love you, and we’re here with you.”

 

TJ: Stay strong

Me, Jill, and the whole Biden family are with you. Not just in spirit — for anything.

You have the right attitude. You are going to beat this and when you do, we are going to be there to celebrate. ⁰

Love you, and we’re here with you. https://t.co/syLzkYH76Y

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 21, 2019

Biden’s son Beau Biden died in 2015 after battling brain cancer. The Biden Cancer Initiative was founded in 2017 as an offshoot of the Obama administration’s Cancer Moonshot program. The nonprofit shut down earlier this year.

Fellow presidential candidate Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) responded to Ducklo’s message with a video, saying, “I heard about a really tough diagnosis that you got today, and I just wanted to let you know that you are a tough guy and you’re going to kick this and fight it, and I respect you a lot. You work for a tough guy too, so just know that a lot of us around this country, as much as a lot is going on, we’re thinking about you, sending you great energy.” 

“This Jersey boy is sending you strength. I’m looking forward to seeing you along the trail, and I know, again, that at the end of this trial, you will be triumphant,” Booker continued.

 

TJ, I just heard about your diagnosis. Please know that a lot of us across this country are thinking about you. Sending you good energy and looking forward to seeing you out on the trail. pic.twitter.com/T5zp1eTQNl

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) December 22, 2019

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang also responded to Ducklo’s message, tweeting, “Oh no. All the best to you and your family TJ. You can beat this. Thinking of you and yours. The country will be here for you when you come back strong in the days ahead.”

 

Oh no. All the best to you and your family TJ. You can beat this. Thinking of you and yours. The country will be here for you when you come back strong in the days ahead.

— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) December 22, 2019

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s official campaign Twitter account wrote, “All of us at @PeteForAmerica are here for our friends on Team @JoeBiden—and we’re rooting for you, TJ.”

All of us at @PeteForAmerica are here for our friends on Team @JoeBiden—and we’re rooting for you, TJ.

— Team Pete HQ (@PeteForAmerica) December 21, 2019

Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) campaign Twitter shared, “Team Warren is thinking of you and we have your back.”

Team Warren is thinking of you and we have your back.

— Team Warren (@TeamWarren) December 21, 2019

A slew of campaign reporters and fellow press secretaries also responded to Ducklo’s message, sharing supportive messages of strength.

i’m so sorry TJ. pulling for you, along with everyone else in the world of politics and journalism

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) December 21, 2019

Praying and rooting for you in this fight. You will win.

— Ian Sams (@IanSams) December 21, 2019

I’m sorry, TJ. Kick cancer’s ass.

— Michelle Ye Hee Lee (@myhlee) December 22, 2019

TJ, so sorry to hear but you’ve got this. I look forward to working with you for many years.

— Eliza Collins (@elizacollins1) December 21, 2019

You are stronger than you know!!!!!!!

— Brittany Shepherd (@blrshepherd) December 21, 2019

 

— Katie Rogers (@katierogers) December 21, 2019

Ducklo added that he will continue working through his treatment, thanking the Biden campaign as well as Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, “for having my back.”