Murphy leaves hospital, heads to rehab
The Connecticut senator will miss several weeks of Senate votes following a small hemorrhagic stroke diagnosed on October 31.
By Samuel Hayes ·
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut is missing several weeks of Senate votes after being discharged from the hospital. The 53-year-old Democrat will spend time in a rehabilitation facility while recovering from a stroke.
Murphy said in a statement that doctors diagnosed him with a small hemorrhagic stroke, which involves bleeding in the brain. He called 911 on Oct. 31 after feeling that something was not right with his body. Doctors described his progress so far as encouraging and expect a full recovery after his rehab stay.
The senator serves on the Appropriations Committee and is a leading voice on immigration and gun policy. He is also viewed as a potential candidate for the White House in 2028. His office said he is staying engaged with colleagues remotely and that his staff is keeping work in his office running without interruption.
Dr. Jose Suarez, chief of neurosciences critical care at Johns Hopkins Hospital, said the senator has shown tremendous progress. Suarez added that the medical team expects Murphy to make a full recovery following rehabilitation.
Murphy had been campaigning across the country in the days before his hospitalization. He posted on social media the day before his stroke that he was in Connecticut supporting Gov. Ned Lamont. Lamont won reelection in Tuesday’s midterm elections. The previous week, Murphy campaigned in Minnesota with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who won her Senate race to become the first Native American female U.S. senator.
The stroke occurred after a busy schedule for the senator. He visited the Middle East in early October, meeting with leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In early September, he completed his annual 70-mile walk across Connecticut, speaking with residents about their concerns.
Murphy is not the only Senate Democrat to face a stroke in recent years. Sens. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland both had strokes in 2022 and have since recovered. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania had a stroke while campaigning for his seat that year. Fetterman now uses adaptive technology in the Senate, including live captioning on a tablet to help him process conversations. Fetterman said on social media that his family is rooting for Murphy and his family for a full and speedy recovery.
