Scott Powers
Newly-entered Democratic congressional candidate Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park has quickly drawn support from Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for her challenge to Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica in Florida’s 7th Congressional District.
DCCC Chairman and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico announced Friday Murphy would be added to the PAC’s Red to Blue program, which provides training, money and assistance to candidates in races throughout the country that Democrats target, thinking they can flip them from Republican control.
In this case, Murphy is seeking to take on a well-entrenched, 12-term incumbent in Mica.
Murphy, 37, a Rollins College business professor, only entered the race on Wednesday. Friday was the last day of qualifying for the ballot.
“Through hard work and perseverance, Stephanie Murphy has achieved the American dream and will bring a unique perspective to Washington on behalf of Florida’s 7th Congressional District. Thanks to her expertise in business and national security, and her perspective as a mother, Stephanie will run a campaign focused on bringing new energy to Congress, in order to expand opportunities for children and keep families safe at home,” Luján stated in a news release issued Friday by the DCCC.
Murphy and Florida’s 7th Congressional District, which covers Seminole County and north-central and northeast Orange County, joins 35 others the Democratic organization is targeting this year, including four others in Florida.
The other DCCC Red to Blue candidates in Florida are Val Demings in the adjacent 10th Congressional District, Charlie Crist in the 13th Congressional District, Randy Perkins in the 18th Congressional District and Annette Taddeo in the 26th Congressional District.
