On Friday night, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid suffered a transient ischemic attack, a brief lack of blood to part of the brain and usually the first signs of a stroke to come.

Reid, 65, a gold miner’s son who rose to become one of the nation’s most powerful elected Democrats, saw a doctor in Las Vegas after feeling lightheaded Tuesday evening, aides said Friday. He was told he had experienced a kind of mini-stroke called a transient ischemic attack.

“There are no complications or any restrictions on his activities,” said press secretary Tessa Hafen. “He has undergone evaluations this week, and his doctors have recommended that he take advantage of the summer congressional recess for some down time.”

Let’s keep him and his family in our thoughts.