Sen. Chris Murphy Admitted to Baltimore Hospital After Stroke at Hockey Game
The 53-year-old Democrat is awake and alert following a sudden episode of numbness on Saturday, according to his chief of staff.
By Riya Zhao ·
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy is currently hospitalized at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, where medical staff are monitoring his condition following a stroke. His office confirmed on Sunday afternoon that the 53-year-old Connecticut Democrat is awake and alert. He was initially taken to a local area hospital before being transferred to the Baltimore facility for further care.
The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon while Murphy was attending a hockey game for his son. His staff reported that he experienced sudden numbness in his arm during the event. According to Allison Herwitt, Murphy’s chief of staff, the medical team is responding well to his treatment. Herwitt stated that doctors are encouraged by his progress and remain optimistic about his recovery.
Murphy was in the midst of a busy campaign schedule when the stroke occurred. He is not a candidate for re-election in Tuesday’s midterm vote but has been traveling to support Democratic opponents. He was scheduled to be in New Hampshire on Sunday to campaign alongside Rep. Chris Pappas, who is running for the Senate. On Friday, he was canvassing door-to-door in Connecticut to support Gov. Ned Lamont’s bid for re-election.
Colleagues in the Senate have weighed in on his sudden absence. Gov. Lamont praised Murphy in a Sunday statement, calling him the strongest advocate for democracy in the state. Lamont expressed confidence that Murphy will soon be campaigning again. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Murphy’s fellow Connecticut senator, described him as a great friend and colleague. Blumenthal said he is certain he will welcome Murphy back to the Senate soon.
The stroke joins a pattern of health challenges facing members of Congress in recent years. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania suffered a stroke while campaigning in 2022 and now relies on adaptive technology, such as live captioning, to follow debates in the chamber. Fetterman used social media on Sunday to wish Murphy a full and speedy recovery. Other Democrats, including Sens. Ben Ray Lujan and Chris Van Hollen, also recovered from strokes in 2022. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky returned to the floor in September after being hospitalized for three months following a fall.
Murphy was first elected to the Senate in 2012 after representing Connecticut’s 5th Congressional District. Prior to his federal service, he held positions in the Connecticut state Senate and House of Representatives. His office noted that he has been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate for the 2028 cycle. The hospitalization interrupts his current trip to swing states to rally support for the Democratic midterm slate.
