Sen. Chris Murphy Hospitalized After Stroke, Office Says Full Recovery Expected

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut has been hospitalized after a stroke, and his office said on Sunday that he is awake and alert and is expected to make a full recovery.

Murphy, 53, began to feel numbness in his arm on Saturday afternoon while he was at his son's hockey game, his chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, said in a statement. He was taken to a local hospital, where doctors found that he had suffered a stroke. He was then transferred to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for further monitoring.

What his office said

"The doctors are encouraged by his progress, he is awake and alert, and we are optimistic he will make a full recovery," Herwitt said. She said Murphy is responding well to treatment.

The statement did not say what type of stroke Murphy suffered. It also did not say how long he is expected to remain in the hospital, and his office gave no date for his return to the Senate.

Support from a fellow senator

Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who suffered a stroke during his 2022 campaign, posted a message of support on X on Sunday. "As someone who survived a near-fatal stroke, I understand all too well how much this impacts your life," Fetterman wrote. He said he hoped Murphy would enjoy a full and speedy recovery.

A leading Democratic voice

Murphy has served in the Senate since 2013. Before that he represented Connecticut's 5th District in the House of Representatives. He has become one of the best known progressive voices in Congress, speaking often on gun safety and health care. His name has been floated as a possible candidate in a broad 2028 Democratic presidential primary field.

Murphy is not on the ballot in Tuesday's midterm elections, which will decide control of Congress for the last two years of President Donald Trump's term. His Senate seat is next up in the November 2030 election.

What a stroke is

A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bleeds. Fast treatment can reduce the risk of brain damage and other complications. Warning signs include numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, trouble speaking or understanding others, problems seeing, a sudden headache and trouble walking.

Stroke is among the leading causes of death in the United States. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and diabetes are among its leading causes, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Murphy's office announced the hospitalization on Sunday afternoon, two days before voters go to the polls. The news landed in the middle of the final weekend of campaigning, when senators from both parties are usually on the road for their colleagues. Murphy's office said the doctors treating him are encouraged by his progress, and it asked for privacy while he recovers.