Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) has been discharged from the hospital after suffering a stroke last week but will miss the first week of Senate votes when lawmakers return from recess next week following the 2026 midterm elections.
Murphy, 53 and a possible 2028 presidential candidate, announced Friday that he would spend several weeks at a rehabilitation center following his discharge from Johns Hopkins Hospital. Doctors are encouraged by his progress, he said, and he is working toward a full recovery.
“Last Saturday afternoon, I felt something was not right with my body and called 9-1-1 out of an abundance of caution, and I’m glad I did,” Murphy said in a statement. “I was diagnosed with a small bleed in the thalamus region of my brain.”
The Connecticut Democrat thanked the doctors and medical staff who treated him and said he would remain in contact with his staff and Senate colleagues while recovering.
“In order to take my recovery seriously and get back to work on the quickest timeline possible, I will be spending several weeks at a rehabilitation center after being discharged from the hospital today,” he said.
Murphy also asked for privacy for his family as he recovers, describing the experience as “scary.”
Allison Herwitt, Murphy’s chief of staff, previously said the senator was taken to a local hospital after experiencing numbness in his arm while attending his son’s hockey game. He was subsequently transferred to Johns Hopkins for treatment. Herwitt said Murphy’s team expected him to make a full recovery.
Murphy’s hospitalization comes as he has emerged as a prominent voice among Democrats. Although he was not up for reelection in the 2026 midterm elections, Murphy has spent much of the midterm campaign season traveling the country to support Democratic candidates.
He campaigned for several progressive Senate candidates, including Sen.-elect Abdul el Sayed in Michigan, Angie Nixon in Florida, and Sen.-elect Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota. Murphy had also been scheduled to knock on doors Sunday in New Hampshire alongside fellow New Englander Sen.-elect Chris Pappas.
Chris Murphy suffers stroke at age 53: What to know
Earlier this fall, Murphy traveled to the Middle East, where he met with officials in Qatar and Saudi Arabia to discuss the war in Iran. He said the trip was intended to assess the war’s damage, examine its regional impact, and discuss diplomatic efforts to bring the fighting to an end.
Murphy said Friday that his staff would continue advancing his legislative priorities and serving constituents while he recovers.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
