Earlier this year, the Virginia House GOP was playing defense for its incumbents, picking up a Democratic district — even in a swing district — seemed completely outside the realm of possibilities.
Enter Delegate Kathleen Murphy.
This was supposed to be an election year that favored the Democrats because of their rage at President Donald Trump, with Democrats were thinking they were going to take over the Virginia House of Delegate while having a clean sweep of the top three statewide offices.
That was always a bit of a stretch and with a lackluster statewide ticket that can’t make up their minds on single payer health care or much needed natural gas pipelines or…
Come to think of it…. just what are they peddling this year? Boring is better! Can you imagine their focus groups after Chuck and Nancy teamed up with Trump?
Back to Delegate Kathleen Murphy.
She won this seat in a very close race against well funded businessman Craig Parisot after Barbara Comstock’s successful congressional bid.
Yet stumbling out of the gate, Murphy deliberately sends out a fundraising email on the backs of opioid addicts, then is caught red handed trying to rig the 10th Congressional Democratic primary next year for State Senator Jennifer Wexton.
Now, Murphy is getting a serious bailout from the Virginia House Democrats — money that you would think shouldn’t have to be spent up in Northern Virginia (at all).
Such are signs of an incumbent in trouble — raising money off the victims of health care crisis, dividing her base by taking sides for a race next year, and needing money against a Republican opponent, Cheryl Buford, who to date has put up a feisty yet underfunded effort to knock off a seat whose incumbent has taken the district for granted.
There’s weak… and then there’s Kathleen Murphy weak. Keep an eye on this one, folks… things might be getting a bit more interesting in Northern Virginia over the next few weeks.
