Senator Chris Murphy hospitalized after suffering stroke

Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut was hospitalized this weekend after suffering a stroke while attending his son's hockey game.

The 53-year-old senator began experiencing numbness in his arm on Saturday afternoon, according to a statement from his chief of staff, Allison Herwitt. After an initial visit to a local hospital confirmed he had suffered a stroke, Murphy was transferred to Johns Hopkins for monitoring. The Guardian and NBC News reported that he is currently awake, alert, and responding well to treatment.

Herwitt stated on Sunday that doctors are encouraged by the senator's progress and remain optimistic about a full recovery. Before the incident, Murphy had been traveling extensively to support Democratic candidates in Michigan, Florida, and other states ahead of the midterm elections. Connecticut Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz noted she had been with Murphy on Friday evening, where he appeared energetic while encouraging voters.

According to NBC News, Murphy was scheduled to campaign in New Hampshire on Sunday with Representative Chris Pappas. The stroke follows a busy autumn for the senator, whose office was among several that received letters containing suspicious substances earlier this fall. He also recently made headlines for calling a plan regarding the war with Iran "insane" during a Thursday event in Washington.

While some political observers have identified Murphy as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, he dismissed such speculation in a 2025 interview with The Guardian. At that time, he called thinking about future elections "foolish" and urged colleagues to focus on protecting democracy. Murphy has served in the Senate since 2013.

Background

Chris Murphy was first elected to Congress in 2006 and served three terms in the House of Representatives before moving to the Senate. He has become a prominent national voice on gun reform and a vocal critic of Donald Trump.