Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy was hospitalized Saturday after suffering a stroke at his son's hockey game, his office announced Sunday. He is awake and alert, according to a statement from his chief of staff, Allison Herwitt.
Herwitt said Murphy began experiencing numbness in his arm during the game and was taken to a local hospital. Doctors determined that he had suffered a stroke before transferring him to Johns Hopkins for further monitoring. She said he is responding well to treatment and that doctors are encouraged by his progress.
The senator was scheduled to campaign Sunday with New Hampshire Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Chris Pappas. Murphy has recently traveled to Michigan, Minnesota and Florida to support Democratic candidates. He is not up for reelection Tuesday.
Murphy, 53, entered the Senate in 2013 after serving six years in the House. He became nationally known for advocating stricter gun control laws after the Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut. He has also been a prominent critic of President Donald Trump and a prolific Democratic fundraiser.
Fellow Connecticut Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Sunday that he was thinking of Murphy and expected to welcome him back to the Senate soon.
Murphy is one of several sitting or prospective senators reported to have suffered a stroke in recent years. Democratic Sens. Ben Ray Luján and Chris Van Hollen each had a stroke in 2022, while Sen. John Fetterman suffered one shortly before Pennsylvania's Democratic Senate primary.
Sources: CNBC Markets.