Democrat Kathleen Murphy kicked off her campaign yesterday to challenge Virginia Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34) in this November’s House of Delegates election.
Surrounded by supporters, Murphy declared she is running because “our delegate has failed us and we need a delegate who will vote for the values, priorities, and interests of the people of the 34th district.”
“My mother, Kathryn, raised seven children and spent much of her life helping those in need. As kids, we took food to hungry families, we babysat children when their parents went looking for jobs, and brought Christmas presents to families that would have otherwise had none. And more often than I can count at the end of the day she would say: we can do better. I approach problems in much the same way. I look for solutions. And I know we can do better.”
Murphy continued, “I understand what’s important to our community—good schools, good infrastructure, and support for our defense and business communities.”
Murphy is a veteran consultant and president of Johnson Murphy and Associates. She served in the Clinton Administration as a senior advisor for International Trade issues at the Department of Commerce, in Congressional Affairs at USAID, and worked for Congressman Charlie Wilson on House Defense Appropriations Committee issues. Long active in Democratic politics, Murphy served as deputy director for women’s outreach at the DNC in Al Gore’s presidential campaign, and has been a precinct captain in the Langley district. Additionally, Murphy serves on the Human Services Council and the Health Care Task Force for Fairfax County, the McLean Community Foundation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Women’s Campaign International. She helped found Salute Our Services, which was created to connect families of the deployed, and Kids Serve Too, an organization serving military-dependent children.
The House of Delegates 34th District covers portions of McLean, Great Falls, Vienna and parts of eastern Loudoun County. Murphy lives in McLean with her husband William Sudow. They have six children.