Democratic US Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, his office has confirmed.
Murphy, 53, began feeling numbness in his arm while attending his son's hockey game on Saturday, according to his chief of staff, Allison Herwitt. A visit to hospital confirmed that he had experienced a stroke. He has since been transferred to Johns Hopkins for monitoring and is so far responding well to treatment.
In a statement, Herwitt said the doctors are encouraged by his progress. She added that Murphy is awake and alert, and that his office is optimistic he will make a full recovery.
First elected to Congress in 2006, Murphy has become a prominent figure in the Senate and one of the most visible voices calling for gun reform since the Sandy Hook school shooting. Some observers regard him as a possible presidential candidate in 2028, pointing to his outspoken opposition to Donald Trump. Asked in a 2025 Guardian interview whether he would consider a White House bid, Murphy said his voice carries weight because he has no agenda beyond trying to save democracy, and that anyone thinking about an election in 2028 or 2026 would be foolish, warning that the country is not on a path to a free and fair election in 2028.
Murphy had spent the preceding weeks campaigning for the midterms, travelling to support candidates in competitive races in states including Michigan and Florida. Connecticut Lt Gov Susan Bysiewicz said in a statement that she had been with the senator on Friday evening, when he was energetically encouraging voters to take part in the upcoming election. She said she was glad to hear he is doing well and looked forward to continuing their joint efforts to support the people of Connecticut.
Sources: The Guardian World.