Juanita Millender Mcdonald

Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Carson) has taken a six-week leave of absence from Congress after being diagnosed with cancer, her office said Wednesday. "The congresswoman wishes to thank everyone for their expressions of love, well wishes and prayers," a statement issued by her office said. "She will maintain a limited schedule in her district and is requesting respect of her privacy at this time."

Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, a Democrat whose House district encompassed Compton, Carson, much of Long Beach and parts of South Los Angeles, died of cancer Sunday. She was 68 and had served in Congress since 1996. The onetime Carson City Council member and state legislator capped a precedent-setting career earlier this year by becoming the first African American woman to head the House Committee on Administration, which oversees federal elections and the House's day-to-day operations.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has scheduled a special election for June 26 to fill the congressional seat left vacant by the death of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, a Democrat whose district encompassed Compton, Carson, much of Long Beach and parts of South Los Angeles. The election is expected to attract a large field of candidates seeking to replace Millender-McDonald, 68, who died last week of cancer.

Nineteen candidates have filed nomination papers to be on the ballot in a June 26 special election in the 37th Congressional District. The seat was left vacant last month by the death of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald, a Democrat. State Sen.

With only six weeks for a campaign season, the race to fill the congressional seat of the late Juanita Millender-McDonald has been an all-out sprint. The candidates -- 17 on the ballot and one write-in -- have been in a mad dash to raise funds, set up offices and websites, send out mailers and seek endorsements.

The son of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Carson) recently filed a sealed request in federal court seeking to delay indefinitely his imprisonment for corruption on the grounds that his mother had health problems and that he needed to take care of her. Even though the court denied R. Keith McDonald's request, which was filed in February and first reported by the Los Angeles Wave, it has raised questions about the health of the 67-year-old congresswoman, who is up for reelection in November.