Sen. Chris Murphy rushed to hospital after suffering stroke at son’s hockey game
WASHINGTON,DC: Sen. Chris Murphy is recovering at a Baltimore hospital after suffering a stroke on Saturday, October 31, his office said.
The 53-year-old had been campaigning for Democrats across the country in the final days before Tuesday’s midterm elections.
His chief of staff said he is responding well to treatment and she expressed optimistic about his recovery.
Chris Murphy’s chief says the 53-year-old Democratic senator had a stroke. “Yesterday afternoon, Senator Murphy started experiencing numbness in his arm while at his son’s hockey game. He was taken to a local hospital, where it was discovered he had experienced a stroke. He was transferred to Johns Hopkins for further monitoring and is responding well to treatment. The doctors are encouraged by his progress, he is awake and alert, and we are optimistic he will make a full recovery.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 1, 2026
Murphy hospitalized after stroke
Murphy’s chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, released a statement Sunday, November 1, saying the senator began experiencing numbness in his arm on Saturday afternoon while attending his son’s hockey game.
Doctors at the local hospital diagnosed him with a stroke before he was moved to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for further monitoring.
Herwitt said Murphy is “awake and alert” and that doctors were encouraged by his progress.
“We are optimistic he will make a full recovery,” she said. The statement did not disclose the severity of the stroke or when he might be discharged.
Murphy, who is not on the ballot this year, had been scheduled to visit New Hampshire on Sunday to campaign with Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Chris Pappas.
Sen. John Fetterman, also suffered a stroke during his 2022 campaign, sent his support.
I’ve just heard the news about Senator Murphy. As someone who survived a near-fatal stroke, I understand all too well how much this impacts your life. My family is rooting for Chris and his family for a full and speedy recovery.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) November 1, 2026
Fetterman said he understood “all too well” how much a stroke could affect a person's life and added that his family was rooting for Murphy's full and speedy recovery.
Murphy first won his Senate seat in 2012 defeating Republican Linda McMahon and took office in 2013 after several years in the House.
He is seen as a possible 2028 presidential candidate.
Trump started a war with Iran with no workable plan to protect our troops, diplomats or billion dollar bases. Every citizen should be furious about this. Just total, utter incompetence.
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) October 22, 2026
Chris Murphy's campaign push
In recent weeks, Murphy has been among the most active Democratic campaign surrogates in the country.
In mid-October, he announced campaign stops in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Minnesota and New Hampshire to support Democratic candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed, Roy Cooper and Chris Pappas.
His political action committee, American Mobilization PAC, has also been supporting Democratic candidates and groups.
“I just want to be a good team player right now,” he had told the media outlets.
He has also been a leading voice against the administration on foreign policy.
Speaking at a Middle East Institute event on Wednesday, October 28, Murphy said he had received a detailed briefing from Pentagon officials on plans for possible renewed military action against Iran after the midterms.
“Their plan is insane,” he said, warning of “devastating escalation.”
