Kathleen J. Murphy (Virginia)
Kathleen J. Murphy (Democratic Party) was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, representing District 34. She assumed office in 2015. She left office on January 10, 2024.
Murphy (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates to represent District 34. She won in the general election on November 2, 2021.
Biography
Murphy received a B.A. from American University.[1] Her professional experience includes working as a senior adviser in the U.S. Department of Commerce and as an aide to Congressman Charlie Wilson. Murphy was involved in the creation of Salute Our Services and Kids Serve Too. She has served as the president of the consulting firm Johnson Murphy & Associates.[2]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Murphy was assigned to the following committees:
2020-2021
Murphy was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Murphy was assigned to the following committees:
2016 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2016 legislative session, Murphy served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2016 |
|---|
| • Finance |
| • Privileges and Elections |
2015 legislative session
In the 2015 legislative session, Murphy served on the following committees:
| Virginia committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Finance |
| • Privileges and Elections |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2023
Kathleen Murphy did not file to run for re-election.
2021
See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2021
General election
General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 34
Incumbent Kathleen J. Murphy defeated Gary Pan in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 34 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kathleen J. Murphy (D) | 57.1 | 23,093 |
 | Gary Pan (R) | 42.8 | 17,327 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 46 | ||
| Total votes: 40,466 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 34
Incumbent Kathleen J. Murphy defeated Jennifer Adeli in the Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 34 on June 8, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathleen J. Murphy | 74.4 | 5,212 |
| Jennifer Adeli | 25.6 | 1,791 | ||
| Total votes: 7,003 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Gary Pan advanced from the Republican primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 34.
Campaign finance
2019
See also: Virginia House of Delegates elections, 2019
General election
General election for Virginia House of Delegates District 34
Incumbent Kathleen J. Murphy defeated Gary Pan in the general election for Virginia House of Delegates District 34 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kathleen J. Murphy (D) | 58.4 | 17,143 |
| Gary Pan (R) | 41.6 | 12,213 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 23 | ||
| Total votes: 29,379 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2017
General election
Elections for the Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2017. All 100 house seats were up for election. The general election took place on November 7, 2017. A primary election took place on June 13, 2017. The filing deadline for primary election candidates was March 30, 2017. The filing deadline for non-party candidates and candidates nominated by methods other than a primary was June 13, 2017.[3] Incumbent Kathleen J. Murphy (D) defeated Cheryl Buford (R) in the Virginia House of Delegates District 34 general election.[4]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 34 General Election, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Kathleen J. Murphy Incumbent |
60.95% | 20,522 | |
| Republican | Cheryl Buford | 39.05% | 13,146 | |
| Total Votes | 33,668 | |||
| Source: Virginia Department of Elections | ||||
Races we watched
Ballotpedia identified 13 races to watch in the Virginia House of Delegates 2017 elections: four Democratic seats and nine Republican seats. Based on analysis of these districts' electoral histories, these races had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could possibly have led to shifts in a chamber's partisan balance.
This district was a Race to Watch because the incumbent won less than 55 percent of the vote in 2015. District 34 was competitive in elections from 2013 to 2015. Incumbent Kathleen J. Murphy (D) was first elected to the seat in a 2015 special election, winning by a margin of 2.6 percent. She won re-election in the 2015 general election with 50.4 percent of the vote, defeating her special election opponent Craig A. Parisot (R) again by a margin of 0.6 percent. She first ran for the seat in 2013 and was defeated by incumbent Barbara Comstock (R) by 1.4 percentage points. District 34 was one of 51 Virginia House districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 34 by 21.6 percentage points. Democrat Barack Obama won the seat in the 2012 presidential election by 0.5 percentage points. As of 2017, District 34 covered parts of Fairfax County and parts of Loudoun County.
Democratic primary election
Incumbent Kathleen J. Murphy ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 34 Democratic primary.[5]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 34 Democratic Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Kathleen J. Murphy Incumbent | ||
Republican primary election
Cheryl Buford ran unopposed in the Virginia House of Delegates District 34 Republican primary.[6]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 34 Republican Primary, 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
| Cheryl Buford | ||
Endorsements
In 2017, Murphy’s endorsements included the following:
2015
General election
Elections for the Virginia House of Delegates took place in 2015. A primary election was held on June 9, 2015. The general election took place on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 26, 2015.[10] Incumbent Kathleen J. Murphy was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Craig A. Parisot was unopposed in the Republican primary. Murphy defeated Parisot in the general election.[11][12]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 34 General Election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Kathleen Murphy |
50.4% | 10,820 | |
| Republican | Craig Parisot | 49.6% | 10,632 | |
| Total Votes | 21,452 | |||
Special election
Kathleen J. Murphy (D) defeated Craig A. Parisot (R) in the special election on January 6, 2015.[13][14][15]
The seat was vacant following Barbara Comstock's (R) election to the 10th Congressional District of Virginia.[16]
A special election for the position of Virginia House of Delegates District 34 was called for January 6. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was November 16, 2014.[16]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 34, Special Election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Kathleen J. Murphy |
51.3% | 6,419 | |
| Republican | Craig A. Parisot | 48.7% | 6,093 | |
| Total Votes | 12,512 | |||
2013
Murphy ran in the 2013 election for Virginia House of Delegates District 34. Murphy ran unopposed in the June 11 Democratic primary. She was defeated by incumbent Barbara Comstock (R) in the general election on November 5, 2013.[17]
| Virginia House of Delegates, District 34 General Election, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Barbara Comstock Incumbent |
50.6% | 14,962 | |
| Democratic | Kathleen Murphy | 49.2% | 14,540 | |
| Other | Write-in | 0.2% | 51 | |
| Total Votes | 29,553 | |||
Endorsements
In 2013, Murphy’s endorsements included the following:
- The Farm Team[18]
- NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia[19]
- Virginia Education Association[20]
- EMILY's List[21]
- LGBT Democrats of Virginia[22]
Race snapshot
Incumbent Barbara Comstock (R) won re-election to the House of Delegates for a second term. She first won election by a little over 400 votes in 2011. This suburban and exurban district split evenly between President Barack Obama (D) and presidential candidate Mitt Romney (R) in 2012. Comstock's raised nearly $900,000 for her re-election bid in 2011. Democracy for America endorsed Murphy and had donated $8,000 to her campaign as of early September 2013.[23][24][25][26]
Campaign themes
2021
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kathleen J. Murphy did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
2019
Kathleen J. Murphy did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.
2017
Murphy’s campaign website highlighted the following issues:[27]
| “ |
Education Education is an investment in our future. It is key to ensuring that our children will have opportunities to succeed and for building and strengthening a healthy economy. Virginia has consistently been rated as a leader in providing a world-class education for students in our public schools and universities. We must take measures to ensure that our public schools remain competitive in a changing 21st century economy. Unfortunately, our schools have been underfunded. As your Delegate, I am committed to making responsible budget decisions that protect funding streams that our communities depend on to support our local schools. We must find and promote innovative opportunities and practical solutions to improve education in Virginia. I support funding for all day kindergarten and for early childhood development programs. It is essential that our children arrive in kindergarten prepared and ready to learn. These programs improve outcomes for children and are a strong determinant of later success in school and the work place. The investments we make in early childhood education can result in lower spending later on our juvenile justice system, for social welfare, and on prisons. Our universities are among the best in the country. In order to ensure that they remain among the best we need to support them financially. We can’t take our education system for granted. We have to work every day to support it and make it better. As support from the Commonwealth has gone down for our universities, tuition has gone up for our students. We need to restore the traditional role of support for our universities and to our Community Colleges. An educated workforce is key to our region’s economic growth. Our Community Colleges are a great resource for providing workforce training. Building partnerships with local businesses will provide a foundation to help ensure that the education our children receive will lead to jobs. “Education is always an investment, never an expense." - Governor Terry McAuliffe Economic Development and Growth Virginia has many assets that make it attractive to businesses and families. We have excellent schools, a great quality of life and a low corporate tax rate. It is important that we utilize our assets to help Virginia sustain its position as a preeminent place to live, work and do business. In order to grow our economy we must support our schools, our transportation systems and ensure access to affordable health care We also must make sure that Virginia is a welcoming community for all workers and their families. Sequestration has been bad for business in Virginia where we depend heavily on the Federal Government and especially on the defense industry. Virginia is the number one recipient of federal contracts and with more cuts on the horizon, our economic health depends on our ability to expand and diversify. As your Delegate, I am working with Governor McAuliffe on his initiatives to diversify our private sector economy by focusing on biotech and health care innovation. Inova Fairfax is a great asset and will be a valuable partner in this effort. I will work with cyber security companies and local businesses to utilize the existing federal presence to grow jobs in those areas. Additionally, by leveraging our academic and industrial research and scientific assets we can better support a diversified economy in biotechnology, biomedical industries and in green energy to promote a diverse and reliable energy supply. Recently Virginia was the object of ridicule due to the attempts by some members of the House of Delegates to pass legislation demeaning to women and promoting a radical right-wing social agenda. These legislative efforts were detrimental to Virginia’s ability to recruit and retain businesses and grow our economy. I am staunchly against these legislative efforts because they hurt our women, our families and our reputation as a great place to do business. Transportation and Infrastructure Northern Virginia has a transportation problem. We know that transportation, infrastructure and education are key investments that fuel future economic growth and impact our quality of life. We waste hours sitting in traffic. We want real transportation solutions. I oppose adding tolls to I-66 inside the Beltway. People already pay too much in tolls. The proposed plan to add tolls to I-66 does not adequately address the problems commuters are seeing. Adding tolls to I-66 will just push more traffic into our neighborhoods, and will act as a tax on already stressed commuters. It is the failure to enforce existing carpool requirements on I-66 that has exacerbated the problem of crowding. Additionally, adding tolls on I-66 has the potential to negatively impact Dulles Airport as well. And Dulles Airport is a key economic engine for the whole area. I am working for efficient use of transportation funds and for Northern Virginia to get its fair share. We need to make sure these funds are allocated to the critical projects that will relieve congestion, ensure pedestrian and bike safety and improve intersections. For too many years we have deferred investments in our infrastructure. This not only impacts our economic growth, it is a safety issue. Our roads and highways are our lifeline. Rebuilding aging roads and bridges must be a priority. This will provide jobs and help our economy. Protecting Women’s Rights Women’s issues are the issues that impact our day-to-day lives, interfere with our ability to earn a living and that take time away from our families. They include funding for schools, finding transportation solutions, ensuring our children and communities are safe from gun violence, and access to affordable health care. I support equal pay for women. On average, women earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. The number is even lower for women of color. It has been more than 50 years since President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law making it illegal to pay unequal wages to men and women who do the same or equal work. It is time to end the wage gap. I believe we must protect a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, including choices about contraception. I am a strong voice against the passage of bills that attempt to limit a woman’s access to health care or that attempt to close clinics that provide life saving cancer screenings. Women should make their health care decisions with their doctors not their legislators. Protecting our Communities and our Children Gun violence has become all too common in our society. In the wake of recent tragedies it is clear that we need sensible gun solutions that will keep our children and communities safe from gun violence. I support enhanced background checks and closing the gun show loophole, which allows people to purchase guns without a background check. The NRA supported background checks after the tragedy at Columbine High School. It is stunning that they have turned their backs on such sensible regulations. I lost my brother to gun violence. Two gunmen robbed and murdered him. He was the father of five young children, a loving husband, a thoughtful son and a really fun brother. I work with local groups, police, and concerned citizens to find reasonable regulations to help prevent these terrible tragedies. We must do our best to stop criminals and the mentally ill from obtaining dangerous weapons. And we must fund programs and services for the dangerously mentally ill. [28] |
” |
2013
Murphy's campaign website listed the following issues:[29]
- Education for the 21st Century Economy
"I will make sure our schools have the funding, staff, and commitment to excellence we demand as a community. Now is the time to invest in our future. We must ensure that our Community Colleges are partnering with local business to ensure that the education our children receive will lead to jobs."
- Protecting Women's Rights
"I support issues important to ensuring women’s equality: equal pay, workplace flexibility, and the right to make the important choices about their own bodies and access to prescriptive medications. We must realize that women’s issues are about so much more than just health care, rather they are economic issues. Limiting women’s rights and access to health care will not only hurt women, but will also hurt our state economically."
- Transportation
"I will fight for a permanent funding source for transportation in the budget and end the game of pitting our children’s future against the infrastructure we desperately need."
- Protecting the Virginia Voter
"Five hour long lines, broken voting machines, vague ID laws, and loss of absentee ballots are just some of the problems our voters encountered in 2012. Additionally the Republican Party in Richmond is eager to gerrymander much of the state to give themselves a permanent hold on the State House and mute the voice of our voters. I will fight to improve the process of our elections so that the voice of our people is heard."
- Protecting Our Children
"I support President Obama’s initiative to make our streets, schools, and homes safer through common sense gun regulation. The gun show loophole, which allows people to purchase firearms with no background check, must be closed. We must institute universal background checks for all firearm sales."
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
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Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Virginia scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
In 2024, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 10 to March 9. Special sessions occurred May 13, 2024; June 18 to July 1; and July 18, 2024.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes "on a variety of bills impacting equity, safety, access, and overall well being for LGBTQ+ Virginians."
- Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental and conservation issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the Second Amendment.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the manufacturing sector.
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 11 to February 25.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 12 to March 12.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 13 to February 8.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Virginia State Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 12. A special session was held from August 18 to November 9.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 9 through February 24.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 10 through March 10. Special sessions were held from April 11 to May 30 and from August 30 to October 30.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 11 through February 25.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 13 through March 11.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Virginia General Assembly was in session from January 14 to February 28, 2015.
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See also
2021 Elections
External links
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Candidate Virginia House of Delegates District 34 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/KathleenMurphyforDelegate/info Murphy for Delegate Facebook page," accessed May 17, 2013]
- ↑ About, Kathleen Murphy for Delegate," accessed May 17, 2013
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Candidacy Requirements for the November 7, 2017 General Election," accessed March 21, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 November General Unofficial Results," accessed November 7, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 June Democratic Primary," accessed July 6, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "2017 June Republican Primary," accessed July 6, 2017
- ↑ NARAL, "2017 Endorsed House Candidates," accessed August 31, 2017
- ↑ Virginia's List, "Virginia's List Announces 11 Endorsements for House of Delegates, Lieutenant Governor," May 2, 2017
- ↑ Emily's List, "Emily's List endorses 7 candidates for Virginia House of Delegates," accessed August 31, 2017
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "2015 November Election Calendar," accessed January 2, 2015
- ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, "2015 Primary election results," accessed September 1, 2015
- ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, "2015 General election candidates," accessed September 1, 2015
- ↑ Virginia State Board of Elections, "Official candidate list," accessed November 21, 2014
- ↑ WTVR, "Murphy, Preston win special elections in 34th, 63rd House of Delegates districts," January 6, 2015
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Official election results," accessed January 28, 2015
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Washington Post, "Democrat and two Republicans lining up to replace Comstock in Va. House of Delegates," November 11, 2014
- ↑ Virginia Board of Elections, “Official Results - 2013 General Election," accessed December 2, 2013
- ↑ The Farm Team, "Kathleen Murphy for Delegate," July 7, 2013
- ↑ Elizabeth Miller for Delegate, "NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia Announces Endorsements in House of Delegates Elections," August 26, 2013
- ↑ Tysons Corner Patch, "Virginia House Elections: Kathleen Murphy Endorsed by VEA but Behind in Money Race," August 8, 2013
- ↑ Virginia House Democrats, "EMILY’s List Endorses Democrat Kathleen Murphy For Virginia's 34th District House of Delegates Seat," March 21, 2013
- ↑ Falls Church News Press, "LGBT Dems Endorse Simon, Kory, Murphy," July 11, 2013
- ↑ University of Virginia Center for Politics, Sabato's Crystal Ball, "Republicans Certain to Retain Control of Virginia House of Delegates," August 8, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "A look at the 2013 Virginia House of Delegates Elections," April 11, 2013
- ↑ Leesburg Today, "Loudoun Again Cited As Key Battleground For State Races," September 9, 2013
- ↑ Democracy for America, "Kathleen Murphy for Delegate," accessed October 3, 2013
- ↑ murphyfordelegate.com, "Issues," accessed August 18, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Issues, Kathleen Murphy for Delegate," accessed May 17, 2013
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Virginia House of Delegates District 34 2015-2024 |
Succeeded by Tony Wilt (R) |
