Sen. Chris Murphy Leaves Hospital for Rehab After Stroke

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut has been discharged from Johns Hopkins Hospital and is moving to a rehabilitation facility to recover from a stroke. The 53-year-old senator announced the transition on Friday, stating he will miss several weeks of Senate votes while he recovers.

Doctors diagnosed Murphy with a small hemorrhagic stroke, a type of bleed in the brain. He called 911 on October 31 after feeling that something was not right with his body. In a statement, Murphy noted that medical staff are very encouraged by the progress he has made so far. The treatment plan at the rehab center aims to return him to work on the quickest timeline possible.

Dr. Jose Suarez, chief of neurosciences critical care at Johns Hopkins Hospital, released a statement regarding the senator's condition. Suarez said Murphy has shown tremendous progress and that the medical team expects him to make a full recovery following rehabilitation. Murphy thanked the doctors and staff at Johns Hopkins for treating him and caring for his family during his hospital stay.

Murphy said he has been staying engaged with his team and colleagues remotely. His staff is working to ensure the operations of his office continue uninterrupted. The senator serves on the Appropriations Committee and is a leading voice on immigration and gun policy. He is considered a contender for more senior leadership positions in the Senate and is among Democrats seen as potential 2028 candidates for the White House.

The stroke occurred while Murphy was traveling the country to support House and Senate candidates. The Democratic Party secured majority control in Tuesday's midterm elections. A day before the stroke, Murphy posted that he had been campaigning in Connecticut for Gov. Ned Lamont. The previous week, he campaigned in Minnesota with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, the Democratic nominee for the Senate.

Lamont won reelection on Tuesday, and Flanagan won her race, becoming the first Native American female U.S. senator. This final sprint before Election Day followed Murphy's trip to the Middle East in early October, where he met with leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In early September, he completed his annual walk across Connecticut, covering about 70 miles over four days.

Three other Senate Democrats have had strokes in recent years. Sens. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland had strokes in 2022 and have since recovered. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman had a stroke while campaigning for his seat that year and now uses adaptive technology in the Senate. Fetterman said on social media the day after Murphy's stroke that his family was rooting for Chris and his family for a full and speedy recovery.