Connecticut’s 5th District U.S. House Incumbent: Chris Murphy by Bobby Schilling

Chris Murphy (D) is the incumbent state representative from Connecticut’s 5th district, and is running to retain that position against current Danbury State Senator David Cappiello (R). Voting for the election will take place on November 4, 2008, and the winner will take their seat two months later on January 4, 2009.

According to the NationMaster Encyclopedia website, Murphy began his political career in 1998 at the age of 25. He served two terms as a Connecticut State Representative from the 81st district representing Southington. Following that, Murphy was elected to the state Senate from the 16th district representing Southington, Chesire, Waterbury and Wolcott. In both victories, Murphy was in just his twenties and replaced an incumbent who had been in office for over a decade.

As a member of the state Senate, Murphy earned Senate chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee. Murphy also focused on issues of environmental protection, juvenile reform, and wrote Connecticut’s stem cell research act, making Connecticut the third state to give public funding to stem cell research. In addition, Murphy wrote legislation to help abused and neglected children by creating the Office of Child Protection.

In 2006, Murphy decided against running for re-election to the state Senate and ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut’s 5th district instead. Murphy defeated incumbent Nancy Johnson (R) to earn the seat, the seat he is trying to defend this election.
Posted by Bobby Schilling at 12:44 PM