US Senator Christopher Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, was hospitalized on Saturday after suffering a stroke, his chief of staff said. The incident came days before Tuesday’s midterm elections, which will determine the balance of power in Congress.
Murphy, 53, began experiencing numbness in his arm while watching his son play hockey, according to chief of staff Allison Herwitt. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors diagnosed a stroke, and was later transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for further treatment and monitoring.
Herwitt said Murphy was awake and alert and that doctors were encouraged by his progress. His team did not provide further details about his condition on Sunday.
A planned appearance at a campaign event in New Hampshire on Sunday was canceled. Murphy had spent recent weeks campaigning for Democrats, seeking to help his party gain control of Congress. He became a senator in 2013 and has been viewed as a possible 2028 presidential candidate.
Other senators have also faced serious health problems in recent years. Democrat Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said he had suffered a mild stroke in 2022, while Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman had a near-fatal stroke during his campaign that year. Republican Mitch McConnell, a former Senate majority leader, was away from the Capitol and out of public view for more than three months earlier this year after a health issue.
Sources: Folha Mundo.