Breaking: Sen. Chris Murphy hospitalized after stroke, office says

Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, was hospitalized on Saturday, October 31, 2026, after having a stroke, his office said Sunday, according to CBS News and the Associated Press.

His chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, said in a statement that doctors are encouraged by his progress, that he is awake and alert, and that his team is optimistic he will make a full recovery, NBC News and CNN reported.

What did Murphy's office say?

In the statement released Sunday, Herwitt said Murphy "started experiencing numbness in his arm while at his son's hockey game" on Saturday afternoon and was taken to a local hospital, where doctors found he had experienced a stroke, according to the AP and CBS News.

Herwitt said Murphy was transferred to Johns Hopkins for further monitoring and is responding well to treatment, CBS reported. She added that his doctors are encouraged by his progress and that he is awake and alert, according to CNN. The office has not released further details about his condition.

What was Murphy doing before the stroke?

Murphy, 53, is not on the ballot this year but has traveled the country campaigning for Democratic candidates ahead of the midterm elections, NBC News reported. He had been scheduled to appear in New Hampshire on Sunday with Rep. Chris Pappas, the Democratic Senate nominee there, according to NBC.

Politico reported that his recent campaign stops included Michigan, Minnesota and Florida. Murphy has served in the Senate since 2013 and is viewed as a possible 2028 presidential contender, CBS News reported. NewsCubby's Senate map one week out covers several of the races where Democrats have been campaigning.

What we know

• Murphy had a stroke Saturday afternoon and is being treated at Johns Hopkins, according to his office.
• His chief of staff said he is awake, alert and responding well to treatment, and that his team is optimistic about a full recovery.

What we don't know yet

• How long Murphy will remain in the hospital. His office has not said.
• When he will return to the Senate or the campaign trail.

What's next

Murphy's office is the source for any update on his recovery. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3; NewsCubby's midterms state of play has more on the races he had been campaigning in.

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