Rand Paul saves choking Joni Ernst with Heimlich maneuver during Senate luncheon

The Kentucky senator performed the Heimlich maneuver on his Iowan colleague, saving her from what could have been a serious incident.

According to CNN, the incident took place at a luncheon for Senate Republicans shortly before 11 am. It was Ernst's turn to fulfill the duties of host, which rotate every week and include offering food from their respective states. In this case, she provided giant pork chops and ribeye steaks.

When Ernst began choking, Paul noticed and rushed over to her to successfully dislodge the food from her esophagus via the simple but crucial maneuver.

Following the brief scare, Paul and Ernst addressed attendees, teaching them how to detect when someone is choking, and informed them that training for the Heimlich maneuver was available at the Capitol.

A short time later, a staffer for Ernst told CNN that she was doing ok, and before long, the senator even joked about the incident.

"Can't help but choke on the woke policies Dems are forcing down our throats," she wrote in a post on X, thanking Sen. Paul, who is also a doctor.

Word quickly spread, and praise for Paul began flowing in, even from his critics.

"God bless Rand Paul. I never thought I would say that," said Sen. Lindsay Graham, who was not there at the time.

"Rand Paul = HERO," Sen. Mike Lee wrote on X. "Not all heroes wear capes. Not all senators can quote Mises and Hayek — while saving lives!"