Democrat Patrick Murphy averts primary, leaves District 22 to challenge Allen West in District 18
by George Bennett | February 8th, 2012
Murphy
Murphy called West a “coward” last week for leaving his Palm Beach-Broward District 22 to run in a new District 18. Murphy, an accountant who lives in Fort Lauderdale, announced this morning that he’s making the same move — and standing behind the “coward” charge.
West
With the Florida legislature expected to make District 22 a Democrat-leaning seat, West’s maneuver lets him run a district with a roughly even Republican-Democrat divide. Murphy’s move puts him in a tougher district for a Democrat, but it also lets him avoid a potentially costly Democratic primary with former West Palm Beach mayor Lois Frankel and Broward County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs. And it allows Murphy, a political unknown before launching his congressional bid, to continue raising money using West as a foil.
Murphy’s decision to sidestep a primary drew plaudits from big-name Dems: U.S. Rep. and DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel of New York and Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith.
Said Murphy in a statement from his campaign: “I got into this race for two main reasons: First, I believe the biggest threat to America, our troubled economy, is best addressed by having more people with my experience as a CPA and small business owner in Congress. Secondly, Allen West and the Tea Party represent an enormous threat to the middle class, seniors, the environment, and America’s economic recovery. There is simply no one more divisive in Congress and it’s imperative we make sure he is not re-elected.
“Allen West abandoned his constituents to find supposedly safer political ground. Today, our campaign is putting Mr. West on notice: There is no safe district he can run to.”
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February 8th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
And this leaves Lois Frankel as the lone candidate.
Sorry, Lois, it will be Adam Hasner over you.
Lois has left the city of WPB in serious debt. We can’t afford to have her doing the same in Congress.
NO TO FRANKEL! YES TO HASNER!
February 8th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
But Murphy is not a coward for running away from Lois? So it’s OK for libs to run in districts outside of where they live? The hypocrisy is just hillarious.
February 8th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Murphy sounds like the biggest hypocrite yet in this race. Typical brainless democrat appealing to the brainless masses of the dumocrat party. His comment about the tea Party and Allen West is just plain stupid. The Tea Party is made up mostly of the middle class and seniors…it is not a threat to either of those groups. As for the environment…I would say that the hot air coming from Murphys mouth is the biggest threat.
February 8th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
Oops, the democrat establishment pushed Murphy out and gave him funds to run in the new district.
Too bad!
February 8th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
This man will follow someone into a district than the congressman has previously represented? What a strange human this Murphy is!
February 8th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Kristin Jacobs will be our next Congressperson in C@22!!
February 8th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
GO GET HIM MURPH!!! SEND THE POSER PACKING! Where do I send my check for Murphy?
@ rukiddingme……awww we aren’t mad because our hero is going to lose now?
Murphy hit the nail on the head about the divisivness in gov’t and threat to the recovery, middle class,enviorment,and seniors.
February 8th, 2012 at 2:20 pm
The brainlessness of the Conservatives in Palm Beach never seems to amaze me, especially the ones who post on this blog.
1. West abandoned his district he was not even a resident of to run in another district he has never been a resident of because he knew he was gonna loose in his current one do not only to redistricting but his extremely high unfavorable rating.
2. Murphy has been running for months against Allen West and has posted some of the best fundraising numbers in the Country for a newcomer. No one pushed him out of D22, he saw an opportunity to continue in a less crowded field and take on a National Right Wing media star, that takes balls, unlike West’s move.
3. Murphy is a viable, smart, business minded mainstream candidate who does not have the baggage of all the conservatives on social issue.
4. Kristen Jacobs has announced her candidacy for D22 and she will likely win as she does not posses the baggage of Frankel or Hasner.
Kick His ASS Murphy!
February 8th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
@ RENEGADE
LOL are you seriously that stupid????
You really think that a LIBTARD like Murphy will come into this district and beat West?
You are truly a SILLY LIBTARD those knows even less.
February 8th, 2012 at 2:29 pm
TO T 4 2, 2 4 T
Conservatives never “SEEMS” to amaze you??? DO you mean “cease”?
“West abandoned his district he was not even a resident of…”
But it was OK when Oy Vey Wexler the Whiner lived in Maryland and never lived in Florida???
Murphy “posted some of the best fundraising numbers in the Country for a newcomer”
I think you need to look at West’s $$$$ that he raised 18 months ago… They WERE THE BEST numbers of any newcomer.
Another SILLY LIBTARD spewing nonsense LMAO
February 8th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
@ educator,
Your are good at grammar but bad at weather, that’s cause it’s science probably. The weather would be the political winds that confuse you. Patrick Murphy will cream that phoney tin soldier West and the right wing extremists can crawl back under the rocks of which they slithered. Have a nice blog correcting day smart guy.
February 8th, 2012 at 4:20 pm
I find it very odd that our reps in Congress are not required to live in the district they represent. But since that’s the law, there’s really no reason for anyone to even mention it. I guess you can live in Tampa and represent West Palm, if you can get elected.
February 8th, 2012 at 4:41 pm
My guess is that every single conservative commenter is one sorry person making up new nicknames for each post.
GOP fascists are totally unhinged because they know they are running out of time.
February 8th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
What a waste of money. Murphy is going to get destroyed.
February 8th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Yes.. smart guy… there is only 1 conservative in the whole world. Get out some more you sheltered dimwit.
February 9th, 2012 at 9:58 am
This should be fun. One guy from Plantation, the other from Fort Lauderdale, running for a seat in Martin and PSL? Can you say interloper? Regardless, once voters size up Allen West they will not make the same mistake that district 22 did. They’ll take the accountant over the hater.
February 9th, 2012 at 10:05 am
Yes it is a bit strange that 2 guys from broward are going to duke it out in martin and PSL. But, hopefully Murphy will keep that wackjob West out of congress.
February 9th, 2012 at 7:52 pm
@Obiloser impersonating “educator”
” SILLY LIBTARD those knows even less”
Those knows even less????
What language is that. And your calling me “stupid” LMAO……
And “Libtards” most children stop making up names that aren’t even real words about 9 or 10!! ROFLMAO…
Grow up little obi! You can do it if you really try!LOL
What an IMBECILE!!!