Senator Ron Johnson tests positive for coronavirus

The office of Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson says he tested positive for coronavirus Friday.

He was quarantined until Sept.

29 for previous exposure.

UNDERWAY FOR TOPOFFICIALS INWASHINGTON.EARLY THISMORNING, NEWSBROKE THATWISCONSIN SENATORRON JOHNSON HASALSO NOW TESTEDPOSITIVE FORCORONAVIRUS.NBC 26'S RACHELHOPMAYER IS LIVETONIGHT OUTSIDE HISOFFICES IN OSHKOSHTO BREAK DOWN THETIMELINE FOR US.RACHEL, HOW DID WEGET HERE?RYAN -- SENATOR RONJOHNSON IS THETHIRD REPUBLICANSENATOR TO TESTPOSITIVE FORCORONAVIRUS IN A 24HOUR TIME FRAME,STARTING WITHSENATOR MIKE LEEON FRIDAY, WHO WASAT THE SAMEREPUBLICAN SENATELUNCHEON AS SEN.JOHNSON EARLIERTHIS WEEK.HERE'S THE TIMELINETHAT SENATORJOHNSON HASPROVIDED IN A PHONECALL TO REPORTERSTHIS MORNING:ON SEPTEMBER 14TH,SEN JOHNSON BEGANA TWO-WEEKQUARANTINE AFTERHIS CHIEF OF STAFFTESTED POSITIVE FORCORONAVIRUS.

THESENATOR ACTUALLYDROVE A RENTAL CARSTRAIGHT FROM D.C.TO OSHKOSH INORDER TOQUARANTINE ATHOME.THIS ISOLATIONLASTED TWO WEEKS,UNTIL SEPTEMBER29TH, WHICH IS WHYHE MISSEDPRESIDENT TRUMP'SEVENT FOR JUSTICEAMY CONEY BARRETTIN THE WHITE HOUSEROSE GARDEN THATIS NOW LINKED TO ATLEAST 7 POSITIVECASES.UPON RETURNING TOD.C., SENATORJOHNSON JOINEDOTHER REPUBLICANSENATORS INCLUDINGSENATOR MIKE LEEFOR A PARTYLUNCHEON EARLIERTHIS WEEK.

AFTERSENATOR LEE TESTEDPOSITIVE ON FRIDAY,SENATOR JOHNSONWENT TO TAKE WHATHE CALLED APRECAUTIONARYTEST.HE THEN WENT ON TOSPEAK AT AREPUBLICAN PARTYOKTOBERFESTDINNER IN OZAUKEECOUNTY LAST NIGHT.ULTIMATELY, SENATORJOHNSON WASSURPRISED THAT HETESTED POSITIVE."IT WAS ON THE DRIVEBACK THAT I GOT THECALL THAT I WASPOSITIVE.

I WASPRETTY SURPRISED.I'VE TAKEN A LOT OFCOVID TESTS OVERTHE LAST NUMBER OFWEEKS BECAUSE I'VEBEEN ON AIR FORCEONE, AIR FORCE TWO,I'VE BEEN WITH THEVICE PRESIDENT, I'VEBEEN WITH THEPRESIDENT, SO ITHOUGHT THIS WASGONNA BE ANOTHERROUTINE, JUST TOMAKE SURE THIS TESTCAME BACK NEGATIVE."SENATOR JOHNSONSAYS HE WAS NOTTOLD TO QUARANTINEUNTIL HIS TESTRESULTS CAME BACK,BECAUSE HE WASAND STILL ISASYMPTOMATIC.HOWEVER, IN ORDERTO PROTECT HIMSELFAND THE ABILITY TOSAFELY PARTICIPATEIN THE UPCOMINGVOTE ON SUPREMECOURT NOMINEE AMYCONEY BARRETT, THESENATOR SAYS HEWORE A MASK LASTNIGHT AND KEPTSIGNIFICANT SOCIALDISTANCE.SENATOR JOHNSON'SPOSITIVE TEST HASPUSHED SENATORGARY PETERS, ARANKING MEMBER ONJOHNSON'SHOMELAND SECURITYCOMMITTEE IN TOQUARANTINE --ALTHOUGH HE HASINITIALLY TESTEDNEGATIVE.REPORTING LIVEFROM OSHKOSH...THANKS RACHEL.MULTIPLE