A savage assassination attempt which took place on Friday has incapacitated Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), according to a report by the Associated Press.

According to Paul’s Chief of Staff, Doug Stafford, it is “unclear when Paul will return to work since he is in considerable pain and has difficulty getting around, including flying.”

The Senator is currently recovering from “five broken ribs” including “three displaced fractures, which can lead to life-threatening injuries”.

Paul was mowing his lawn in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on Friday afternoon when socialist revolutionary Rene Boucher tackled him from behind, forced him to the ground, and began beating him.

The terror attack committed by Boucher, a proud supporter of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), was politically motivated, according to both sources close to Paul and the FBI, despite reports that Boucher and Paul had an ongoing feud. Boucher’s Facebook profile was dominated by posts criticizing President Donald Trump, suggesting that Paul’s close relationship with the President may have played a part in his motivations. Boucher also frequently shared posts by progressive organization Occupy Democrats, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), and anarchist philosopher Noam Chomsky. So far, neither Sanders nor any other leading Democrats have condemned or disavowed Boucher.

The injuries inflicted upon the Kentucky Senator could potentially remove from the forefront of the upcoming debate in the Senate over the Trump administration’s tax reform plan. While Paul has said he generally supports the administration’s efforts on this issue, he has been critical of attempts by Republican leadership in Congress to water down reform proposals.

If the Senator is ultimately forced to resign due to his injuries, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin will be required to appoint a replacement to serve out the rest of Paul’s term, who would then go on to face a special election in November 2018.