Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinManchin defends Supreme Court candidate Barrett: 'It's awful to bring in religion' The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump, GOP allies prepare for SCOTUS nomination this week Trump meets with potential Supreme Court pick Amy Coney Barrett at White House MORE (D-W.Va.) used the Heimlich maneuver on Sen. Claire McCaskill Claire Conner McCaskillMomentum growing among Republicans for Supreme Court vote before Election Day Democratic-linked group runs ads in Kansas GOP Senate primary Trump mocked for low attendance at rally MORE (D-Mo.) at a luncheon with Senate Democrats on Thursday after she started choking, resulting in McCaskill getting a cracked rib.

The Washington Post reported that McCaskill told attendees at a NAACP dinner in Missouri that she would not be hugging supporters after sustaining the rib injury.

.@ClaireCMC just took the stage at the @MODemParty’s Truman Dinner and was met by standing ovation from a room full of members of #TeamClaire! #MOSen pic.twitter.com/1W1GoUjwgv — Team Claire (@McCaskill4MO) June 24, 2018

McCaskill's office confirmed the episode to The Hill, and the senator expressed her gratitude for her colleague's actions.

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“I’m really grateful to Joe — a little bit of a sore rib for a couple of weeks is no big deal," McCaskill said, according to her spokesperson.

A spokesman for Manchin told The Washington Post that the West Virginia senator gave McCaskill the Heimlich maneuver, which successfully stopped her from choking.

McCaskill went on to take part in the Senate's final votes on Thursday and participated in a campaign event in her home state of Missouri on Saturday.

Both senators are facing uphill reelection battles in their deeply red states ahead of November's midterm elections.

A Monmouth University poll on Wednesday showed Manchin 9 points ahead of his Republican opponent, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.

A survey from the Democratic Senate Majority PAC also showed McCaskill leading her opponent, Attorney General Josh Hawley (R), by 6 points.