U.S. Chamber of Commerce again endorses Democrat Stephanie Murphy

Stephanie Murphy is seeking emergency releif for teachers affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Adding credibility to her claim to be a moderate on fiscal issues and pro-business, Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy‘s reelection campaign announced Tuesday that she has again been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“As a former businesswoman who has counseled startups and small businesses, I’m proud to be a pro-worker, pro-small business leader who is laser-focused on creating more and better-paying jobs in Central Florida. I’ll keep working with our local chambers of commerce to help our small businesses get through this crisis, create jobs, and build back better than before,” Murphy stated in a campaign news release.

Murphy is seeking a third term representing Florida’s 7th Congressional District, a swing district representing Seminole County and parts of northern, eastern, and central Orange County.

She faces Republican nominee Leo Valentín in the Nov. 3 General Election. He has sought to paint her as a closet socialist, or at least someone under potential great influence of the Democratic Party’s socialist wing.

It’s a characterization that Murphy has roundly dismissed. She calls herself a “proud capitalist.” Many of her endorsements and donors to her campaign, which already include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, support her contention.

This year the chamber has received some criticism for an increase in its endorsements for Democrats, which until recently was a rarer phenomenon for the nation’s most established business group.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also endorsed Murphy in her 2018 reelection.

“In challenging times, we are reminded of the importance of having leaders who understand the genius of the American system of government and free enterprise and who are willing to tackle the hard problems that confront our nation,” Tom Donohue, chief executive officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, stated in the organization’s endorsement letter. “Your continued leadership in Congress will benefit the nation as we combat the coronavirus, work to restore economic growth, and expand opportunities for all Americans.”

Valentín dismissed the endorsement as coming from the Washington swamp, irrelevant to CD 7.

“While Stephanie Murphy touts an endorsement from the D.C. swamp, I’m proud to have won the support of the small business community right here in the 7th congresstional district, winning the Seminole Regional Chamber of Commerce Hob Nob and the Oviedo/Winter Springs Chamber of Commerce Straw Poll against Stephanie Murphy,” Valentín said in a written response. “I’ll take the support of our local small business community over the D.C. swamp any day. Stephanie Murphy votes with Nancy Pelosi 95 percent of the time, that’s no bipartisan.”

Murphy’s reelection campaign pointed out she is a co-chair of the fiscally moderate Blue Dog Democrats and she secured the endorsement because of her bipartisan voting record and work promoting economic growth and fiscal responsibility.

“In helping our small businesses, I’ve voted to roll back burdensome regulations and red tape, increase access to capital, and provide emergency relief during the pandemic. I have and always will put people over politics, which is why President Trump appointed me to serve on his bipartisan task force to help re-energize our nation’s economy,” Murphy stated in the release.