Stephanie Murphy 'Putting up Fight' Against Progressives on Infrastructure

Congressional Republicans have been applauding Democratic Rep. Stephanie Murphy’s firm position against Progressives in the U.S. House of Representatives who have been holding up the bipartisan Infrastructure bill.

One Florida congresswoman, who asked that we not mention his name, said that Rep. Murphy was “putting up a fight” against a large element of Progressive Democrats that are “holding the Democratic Caucus hostage.”

Progressives support a broader multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure bill, and not the smaller, more condensed spending bill initially introduced.

Rep. Murphy supports President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” spending bill as written, even as Republicans contend that the measure is nothing more than a “liberal spending wish list” for Democrats.

Florida Rep. Ted Deutch (D) told The Floridian last weekend that even though Democrats are split on the bill, House Democrats will eventually “get there” and come together on a compromise.

But while Rep. Murphy is pushing back against Progressives, her potential Republican congressional candidates, State Rep. Anthony Sabatini and former Trump appointee Cory Mills, both have said that her “fake” move to reach across the political aisle is just a “smoke and mirrors” effort to hide her “Leftist” voting record.

Rep. Sabatini, who Murphy has targeted by calling him an “extremist Trump Supporter,” has recently called her “one of the dumbest members of Congress.”

Sabatini has recently garnered the endorsements of Sen. Rand Paul, Reps. Matt Gaetz, Paul Gosar, fmr. Rep. Ted Yoho, and retired General Michael Flynn,

Sabatini has also reported raising $542,000 for his congressional campaign, of which $380,000 is available to spend.

Mills, the former U.S. Army Ranger who recently rescued 4 Americans from Afghanistan, has only been in the race two reporting cycles.

According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Mills loaned himself $201,500 and raised another $54,000.

In a text message, the former combat veteran told The Floridian that he will be reporting over $500,000 cash on hand.

Mills says that he cut a $300,000 check to his campaign, but was not able to fundraise the past 7 weeks because of his engagement in Afghanistan to free Americans the Biden Administration left stranded.

Like Sabatini, Mills has received support from members of the U.S. Congress, including the endorsements from Reps. Neil Dunn, Brian Mast, Ronny Jackson, Greg Steube, John Rutherford, Jim Banks, Brian Babin, and Mark Wayne Mullin.

This congressional contest is expected to cost somewhere around $5 million. Murphy currently sits on $1.9 million in the bank, so both Mills and Sabatini have their work cut out for them.

The congressional contest in Florida’s 7^th District will be one of the most-watched races of the 2022 midterm election.