Sen. Chris Murphy, the Connecticut Democrat widely seen as a possible 2028 presidential contender, was hospitalized after suffering a stroke Saturday at his son's hockey game, his office said Sunday.
Chief of staff Allison Herwitt said the 53-year-old senator began feeling numbness in his arm at the game. He was taken to a local hospital, where doctors found he had had a stroke, and was then moved to Johns Hopkins for further monitoring.
Herwitt said Murphy is awake and alert and responding well to treatment. Doctors are encouraged by his progress, she said, and his office is optimistic he will fully recover.
Off the trail days before the vote
The stroke sidelined one of his party's busiest surrogates days before Tuesday's midterm elections. Murphy is not on the ballot, but he had been due in New Hampshire on Sunday to campaign with Rep. Chris Pappas, the Democratic Senate candidate there.
His recent stops had included Michigan, Minnesota and Florida. On Friday, he posted that he had been campaigning at home for Gov. Ned Lamont, and last week he appeared in Minnesota with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, the Democratic Senate nominee.
Senators react across party lines
Well-wishes came from both parties. Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska offered prayers, and President Donald Trump said he was really surprised to hear of the stroke.
Thinking of my great friend & colleague, Chris Murphy. I know how fiercely he fights & I'm certain I'll be welcoming him back to the Senate soon
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, who had a stroke while campaigning for his seat in 2022, said on social media that his family is rooting for a full and speedy recovery for Murphy and his family.
Two other Senate Democrats, Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, also had strokes in 2022 and have since recovered.
A rising Democratic voice
Murphy was elected to the House in 2006 and the Senate in 2012. He gained national prominence pushing for stricter gun laws after the Sandy Hook shooting in his home state, and he has been a vocal critic of Trump, opposing the war in Iran and the administration's deportation policies.
In early October he traveled through the Middle East, meeting leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. After returning, he warned that Trump would sharply escalate his war on Iran after the midterm election.
