LGBT Ally Murphy Wins Va. House of Delegates Seat
Despite snow, McLean Democrat picks up Republican-held seat in special election
Virginia Democrats fought back against wintery conditions and electoral history on Tuesday, Jan. 6 to help Del.-elect Kathleen Murphy (D) successfully pick up a Republican seat in the D.C. suburbs that was previously held by newly-sworn-in U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock.
Murphy defeated Republican Craig Parisot, Comstock’s presumptive heir apparent, by a 51-48 margin in a district that only once elected a Democrat to the Virginia House of Delegates since 1967. Her victory adds to the number of Democrats in the House, reducing the Republicans to a 67-31 edge (one seat is vacant), as well as the number of women in the House (16) and the number of LGBT allies in the legislature. She was supported in her bid by three statewide Democratic officeholders: Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Attorney General Mark Herring, and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, who campaigned with her over the weekend leading up to the snow-filled Election Day. Her victory in what is a historically Republican seat will likely make her one of the GOP’s top targets in November’s legislative elections, when all 140 members of the General Assembly will appear on the ballot.
Murphy, who has previously gone on record as supportive of rights and protections like marriage equality and employment nondiscrimination, was the only candidate in the special election to return Equality Virginia Advocates’ questionnaire seeking to flush out the candidates’ positions on various LGBT issues. LGBT allies will rely on Murphy, and other legislators, to help promote positive legislation and attempt to stop measures such as HB1414, a bill introduced by Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas Park, Prince William Co.) that seeks to allow private businesses to discriminate against LGBT individuals and same-sex married couples.
“We’re excited that a clear friend of the LGBT community won tonight,” James Parrish, Equality Virginia’s executive director, said of Murphy’s win.
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