Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, 53, was hospitalized after reportedly suffering a stroke while attending his son’s hockey game on Saturday, according to a statement released by his office Sunday.
Murphy began experiencing numbness in his arm during the game and was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency medical attention.
He was subsequently transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland for further treatment and evaluation. His chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, confirmed that the senator remains “awake and alert.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., speaks with reporters during a voting session at the U.S. Capitol in September. (Photo: CQ-Roll Call)
Doctors anticipate that Murphy will make a full recovery, according to his chief of staff, Allison Herwitt.
However, Herwitt’s statement did not disclose the specific type of stroke the senator experienced or provide a timeline for his release from the hospital.
Murphy, who has been mentioned as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, is not scheduled to face reelection until 2030. In recent weeks, he has traveled across the country to campaign for Democratic candidates ahead of the midterm elections, making stops in Michigan, Minnesota and Florida.
The Connecticut senator had also been scheduled to visit New Hampshire on Sunday to support Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who is competing against former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
Murphy shares two teenage sons with his former wife, attorney Cathy Holahan. The couple finalized their divorce in July, nearly two years after publicly announcing their separation.
Following the split, Murphy was photographed spending time with Democratic digital strategist Tara McGowan, the founder of the progressive news organization Courier Newsroom. McGowan, who is 12 years younger than Murphy, was reportedly seen being affectionate with the senator during an outing covered by The New York Post last year.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., addresses reporters during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in June. (Photo: CQ-Roll Call)
Murphy’s hospitalization comes just two days before Tuesday’s midterm elections and shortly after he strongly criticized a reported Pentagon proposal to resume military operations against Iran following Election Day.
In a post on X, the Connecticut Democrat claimed he had received a briefing on the proposed military strategy, describing it as “insane.”
Murphy was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012 and secured his third term in the 2024 election.
He gained widespread national attention for his advocacy of stricter gun control legislation following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, a community that was part of his congressional district during his tenure in the House of Representatives.
