Chris Murphy to miss ‘several weeks’ of votes for stroke recovery

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in a statement Friday that he was discharged from the Johns Hopkins Hospital and will spend several weeks at a rehabilitation center as he recovers from a stroke.

Murphy will miss “the next several weeks of votes” as he continues his recovery. The senator said he was diagnosed with a “small” stroke after feeling unwell last Saturday, and his office announced the medical emergency in a statement one day after it occurred.

“The doctors are very encouraged by the progress I’ve made so far,” Murphy said in the statement.

The Connecticut Democrat is seen as a rising star in his party and has been floated as a potential 2028 presidential contender.

Members of Congress are not required to disclose medical events that affect their ability to participate in official business, and many keep details from the public until after they recover. Murphy joins at least two other Democratic senators who have disclosed a stroke in recent memory — Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.).

“This has been a scary experience for me and my family, and I appreciate the continued respect for our privacy,” Murphy said. “As I’m working towards a full recovery, I am staying engaged with my team and colleagues remotely, and my staff continues to carry out our legislative priorities, serve constituents, and ensure the work of my office continues uninterrupted.”

Murphy thanked the doctors and staff at Johns Hopkins for their treatment and care for his family. Jose Suarez, chief of neurosciences critical care at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, is quoted in the statement saying Murphy will make a full recovery.

“Senator Murphy experienced a small hemorrhagic stroke. He has shown tremendous progress, and at the current rate of improvement, we expect that he will make a full recovery following rehabilitation,” Suarez said.