Congresswoman hit by car, breaks ribs, vertebrae

U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt of Ohio suffered broken ribs and vertebrae when she was struck by a car while jogging last week, but the damage wasn't discovered until after she fainted from pain on an overseas trip, her spokesman said Monday.

The Republican congresswoman was heading to a weekend fact-finding visit to Afghanistan when severe pain caused her to pass out while the plane was landing at a U.S. Air Force Base in Germany. A hospital examination then found the breaks in two ribs and two vertebrae that hadn't been detected earlier, spokesman Bruce Pfaff said.

Schmidt, 56, subsequently flew back to Ohio and was resting Monday in her home just east of Cincinnati, her spokesman said.

The avid marathoner was struck by a car last week. Police still haven't found the driver.

Schmidt has served two terms for her southern Ohio district. Earlier this month, she was one of 60 lawmakers who switched votes on the Wall Street bailout, first casting "No" but ultimately supporting it.

Her opponent is the election next month is Democrat Victoria Wulsin, whom Schmidt narrowly defeated in 2006.

"We wish Representative Schmidt a speedy recovery and will keep her in our prayers," Wulsin spokesman Kevin Franck said.