Chris Murphy hospitalized after stroke, office says

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy was hospitalized after experiencing a stroke on Saturday, according to his office. In a Sunday statement, his chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, said the 53-year-old Democrat was transferred to Johns Hopkins for monitoring and was awake and alert while receiving treatment.

The Chris Murphy stroke update began with symptoms at his son’s hockey game, Herwitt said. Murphy began experiencing numbness in his arm on Saturday afternoon, was taken to a local hospital, where it was discovered he had experienced a stroke, and was then transferred to Johns Hopkins for further monitoring.

Herwitt said Murphy was responding well to treatment and that doctors were encouraged by his progress. The office said it was optimistic that he would make a full recovery. It did not release information on the nature or severity of the stroke, a recovery timetable, or a potential discharge date.

What did Chris Murphy’s office say about his condition?

Murphy’s office said he was awake and alert and responding well to treatment. That assessment, including the expectation of a full recovery, is the office’s account rather than an independent medical assessment.

CNBC, PBS NewsHour, NPR and other outlets reported the same statement from Herwitt. Their reports do not provide independent medical assessments of Murphy’s condition.

Murphy has represented Connecticut in the Senate since 2013 after winning election in 2012, according to the Associated Press report carried by PBS NewsHour. He is not on Tuesday’s ballot. The AP also reported that he serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee and has been active on immigration and gun policy.

The senator had recently been traveling to support Democratic candidates before the midterm election. CNBC reported that he had made campaign stops in Michigan, Minnesota and Florida, while the AP reported that he had campaigned in Connecticut and Minnesota. ABC30 reported that Murphy had been scheduled to appear in New Hampshire on Sunday with Democratic Senate candidate Chris Pappas.

Several political figures issued public messages following the announcement. The AP reported that Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal and Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman made supportive statements, as did several Republican senators. It also reported that President Donald Trump said he was surprised to learn of Murphy’s stroke.

This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.