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👋🏾 Hi, hey, hello! Welcome back to Congress Nerd Sunday. I hope your weekend was everything for you. The midterm election is 2 days away.
Some difficult news to share this evening.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) suffered a stroke yesterday afternoon while attending his son’s hockey game, according to his chief of staff, Allison Herwitt.
Murphy began experiencing numbness in his arm and was taken to a local hospital, where doctors determined he’d had a stroke. He was subsequently transferred to Johns Hopkins for further monitoring.
Thankfully, the latest update from his office is encouraging.
“The doctors are encouraged by his progress, he is awake and alert, and we are optimistic he will make a full recovery,” Herwitt said.
I’ve been following Murphy’s travels in recent weeks as he’s crisscrossed the country campaigning for Democratic Senate candidates ahead of Tuesday’s elections.
His itinerary has included plans for stops in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Minnesota and New Hampshire, where he’s been supporting candidates from across the ideological spectrum of the Democratic Party.
Murphy isn’t on the ballot himself this year. But he’s been investing considerable time and energy in helping Democrats compete for the Senate majority while making the case for a more populist economic message.
There’s a longer-term political story here too. Murphy is among the Democrats whose names come up in conversations about the party’s future and the 2028 presidential race. His willingness to travel, raise money and campaign for other Democrats has only increased his national visibility.
But those conversations can wait. Important questions remain about his recovery, including how long he might remain hospitalized and when he’ll be able to return to his Senate duties. His office hasn’t provided a timeline.
What we do know is that Murphy is receiving treatment, his doctors are encouraged and his family has reason to be optimistic. I’m wishing him a full recovery and will keep you posted as I learn more.
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Lil Baby, King George join Democrats’ final push in Alabama
Rapper Lil Baby and Southern soul singer King George will perform at a major get-out-the-vote rally in Montgomery on Monday, as Democrats make a final push to protect Rep. Shomari Figures’ (D-Ala.) seat in one of the most consequential House races involving Black political representation.
The event, which I first reported on Friday, will take place on the campus of Alabama State University, with Figures and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones leading the political program. Let It Resound, the political advocacy initiative launched by the Rolling Sea Action Fund that is organizing the rally, is expected to announce additional musical guests.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) made Alabama his final campaign stop earlier today before Tuesday’s midterms. His engagement is separate from the Montgomery rally, but both underscore how much attention Democrats are giving to Figures’ race in the closing stretch.