Sen. Chris Murphy Hospitalized After Stroke at Son's Hockey Game Days Before Midterms
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut was hospitalized Saturday after suffering a stroke while watching his son's hockey game, his office announced on Sunday.
The 53-year-old Democrat first noticed numbness in his arm on Saturday afternoon and was taken to a local hospital. Doctors there determined he had suffered a stroke and transferred him to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for further monitoring.
His chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, said Sunday that Murphy was awake, alert and responding well to treatment. "The doctors are encouraged by his progress," Herwitt said, according to Fox News, adding that the senator's team is optimistic about his recovery.
What We Know So Far
Murphy's office has not said what type of stroke he suffered, what treatment he received, or when he might be released. No timeline has been given for his return to the Senate.
Recognizing symptoms quickly can make a major difference. Federal health guidance lists sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body, as a warning sign, and some treatments work best when given soon after symptoms begin. Murphy noticed the numbness and got care quickly.
A Hole in the Democratic Campaign Schedule
The emergency comes in the final days before Tuesday's midterm elections. Murphy is not on the ballot this year. He won reelection in 2024, so his health has no effect on Connecticut's ballot.
But he had become one of his party's busiest surrogates, traveling the country to campaign for Democratic candidates as the party tries to win back seats in Congress. He was scheduled to campaign in New Hampshire on Sunday before the hospitalization cleared his calendar.
Murphy has served in the Senate since 2013 after three terms in the House. He sits on the Appropriations Committee and has been one of the Democrats' loudest voices on gun control and immigration. He helped negotiate the gun legislation passed after the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Since President Trump returned to the White House, Murphy has also been among his most relentless critics. His rising profile has fueled talk of a possible 2028 presidential run, and The Associated Press has noted he is seen as a potential future member of Senate Democratic leadership. Murphy has not announced any White House bid.
Prayers From Both Sides of the Aisle
Politics took a back seat on Sunday. Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska offered prayers and well wishes. Connecticut's other senator, Democrat Richard Blumenthal, said he was confident his colleague would return to the Senate.
President Trump said he was surprised to learn of the stroke and acknowledged how serious it was.
Murphy is the latest sitting senator in recent years to suffer a stroke in office. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania had one during his 2022 campaign. Sens. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland also suffered strokes that year, and both returned to work.
Whatever one thinks of Murphy's politics, Americans across the spectrum can wish him a full and speedy recovery. His office says doctors remain encouraged, and more updates are expected in the coming days.