Sen. Chris Murphy leaves hospital after stroke
The Connecticut Democrat is moving to a rehab facility and expects to miss several weeks of Senate votes.
By Jonathan Reed ·
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut was discharged from a hospital on Friday. He suffered a small hemorrhagic stroke, a bleed in the brain, on the weekend of October 31.
Murphy, 53, will remain in a rehabilitation facility. He stated that doctors are "very encouraged by the progress I've made so far." He expects to miss "several weeks" of votes in the Senate while he recovers.
The senator called 911 on October 31 after feeling that "something was not right" with his body. He described the event as a scary experience for his family and expressed appreciation for their privacy during the treatment.
Dr. Jose Suarez, chief of neurosciences critical care at Johns Hopkins Hospital, released a statement on Murphy's condition. Suarez noted that the senator has shown tremendous progress. He added, "we expect that he will make a full recovery following rehabilitation."
Murphy serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee and is a key voice on immigration and gun policy. He is viewed as a contender for senior leadership roles and a potential 2028 presidential candidate. His staff is managing his office remotely to keep work flowing without interruption.
The stroke occurred while Murphy was traveling the country to support Democratic candidates in the midterm elections. Democrats secured majority control in Tuesday's vote. Lamont won reelection in Connecticut, and Peggy Flanagan won a Senate seat in Minnesota, becoming the first Native American female U.S. senator.
Before the election, Murphy visited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Middle East. In early September, he completed a 70-mile walk across Connecticut over four days. Three other Senate Democrats have suffered strokes in recent years, including Ben Ray Lujan, Chris Van Hollen, and John Fetterman.
