US Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) shocked the political world after announcing that she would not seek re-election in 2022. The highly anticipated midterm election resulted in Cory Mills (R-FL) being elected to the House of Representatives, flipping Rep Murphy's Democratic seat to Republican.
In theory, a candidate like Murphy would have worked well after seeing the aftermath of the 2022 voter turnout. The Congresswoman held a very moderate composure throughout her tenure in Congress, even being considered a "Blue Dog Democrat."
Having seen how badly Trump Republicanism isolated the median voter, it is a surprise Murphy stepped aside this cycle.
Murphy still officially maintains her seat in the US House until January of 2023. However, this week saw Murphy's last remarks on the House floor as she prepares to exit her life of public service. In her speech, Murphy gave thanks to everyone who supported her from the bottom up.
Her remarks opened with, "A baby girl, born in post-war Vietnam, to parents facing persecution by the communist government. We fled our homeland by boat and were rescued by American sailors. Our family was given refuge, granted citizenship, and provided opportunity in the United States. My mom and dad worked so hard to make ends meet. They struggled to overcome barriers of language and culture. All so I could have a better shot in life than they did."
After thanking individuals and recounting her career before political office, Murphy broke down the hallmarks of her congressional career.
"As my congressional career draws to a close, I am proud of my service. I hope I earned the respect of those I represent. Whether they were Democrats, Republicans, or neither. Whether they voted for me or would never dream of voting for me. This job isn’t easy, but nothing truly worth doing ever is. There are few places where you can make such a difference in people’s lives as you can in the United States Congress. Ask the veteran who finally received the benefit they earned—thanks to the congressional office who broke through the bureaucratic red tape. Ask the millions of Americans who got health and economic aid during the worst of the pandemic. Ask the billions of people who will live on a cooler, cleaner planet because of the green investments we’ve made. Ask the lion-hearted people of Ukraine, who defend their land with weapons we gave them because their fight is our fight. And ask the police officers who risked their lives on January 6th and who hopefully find comfort in the fact that there is a bipartisan committee that seeks to honor their valor by telling the truth about that terrible day. I will miss this place, and above all I will miss the people."—Rep. Murphy
Murphy's exit along with Cory Mills' entrance will bring along a new status quo in Florida's 7th Congressional District. Republicans may have DeSantis to thank for flipping the 7th District seat from a January 6th Committee member to Trump-endorsed Cory Mills.
