Despite President Barack Obama carrying Florida and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelsons re-election efforts in 2012, the last five years , on the whole, have not been happy ones for Florida Democrats.
Besides failing to win gubernatorial and state Cabinet races, Democrats in the Legislature have, at best, played a minor role.
But there has been one bright spot for the Florida blue team in recent years, in the form of U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy. Bursting onto the political scene in 2012, Murphy squeaked by Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West. While there were some voting irregularities in St. Lucie County, Murphy won this race in part because West often seemed more concerned with national politics, spending some of the last month of the campaign in other states to help Republican candidates.
Murphy has been a sharp contrast to West during his brief time in Congress. West, a favorite of the tea party, made no attempt to move to the middle even as it grew increasingly apparent that he was in trouble in 2012.
Murphy, on the other hand, has done his best to stay in the center, sometimes splitting off from his fellow Democrats on issues ranging from holding Lois Lerner in contempt to criticizing President Barack Obamas federal health-care law for weakening Medicare Advantage. While West couldnt resist the national political stage, Murphy has been focused on his district.
All of that paid off for Murphy in 2014. With national Democrats like former President Bill Clinton helping out his campaign, Murphy ensured he would not face another close contest. Running positive ads which often painted him as a defender of the middle ground and a common-sense contrast to both congressional Republicans and Democrats alike, Murphy easily dispatched former state Rep. Carl Domino, beating that Republican by 20 percent in November.
Taking a page from Clintons old triangulation strategy, Murphy has been one of the few Democrats in Florida who has emerged considerably stronger over the last five years. Murphys game plan seems to be working for other Democrats as well. Gwen Graham, who has been far more critical of U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other Democrats in Washington, defeated U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., by generally following Murphys tactics.
Murphys now going to see how that strategy works at the statewide level. Earlier this week, he declared for the U.S. Senate in 2016 whether U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., runs for a second term or not. Some liberals are looking at U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., to oppose him but Murphy has gathered some big-name endorsements, including some from Democrats who are to his left like U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla.
A Senate bid is a clear risk for Murphy who remains largely unknown throughout the state. Turning 32 on Monday, Murphy looked poised to keep his congressional seat for years to come before he entered the Senate race. It remains to be seen if his triangulation strategy will work on that large a stage.
Murphy is one of the few Democrats in Florida who has been striding ahead over the last five years and he has crafted a path that could help his party cut into the Republican congressional and legislative majorities in the Sunshine State. He has been a rare bright spot for his party and one of the leading political personalities in Florida.
(ABOUT THIS SERIES: Patrick Murphy is the 16th in a special anniversary series of 20 political personalities who loomed large since early 2010, when Sunshine State News set up shop in Tallahassee.Who else made the list? Click here to find out.)
Reach Kevin Derby atkderby@sunshinestatenews.comor follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
