Retiring Democrat Goes Scorched Earth, Exposes 'Political Reality' of Party's Agenda
Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) has unloaded on Biden and Democratic leaders
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Retiring Democrat Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) has gone full scorched earth and exposed the "political reality" behind the Democratic Party's radical agenda.
On Friday, Murphy unloaded on Joe Biden, the Democratic Party leadership, and the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).
Murphy blames them for steering the Democrat Party into oblivion ahead of the looming November midterms.
The Florida congresswoman decided to blow the whistle on her way out the door, telling Politico Playbook the Democrat leadership would beat her and other moderate Democrats “into submission” for the purpose of pushing a radical agenda item that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) proposed.
She blasted her fellow Democrats for taking actions that are "detrimental to our ability to lead.”
"My first term [2017-2019] … there was a lot more tolerance for, ‘Do what you need to do to hold your seat, and come back because we’re trying to build towards [a] majority,’” Murphy told Politico.
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"With us being in the majority [from 2019 on], that tolerance eroded a bit,” she continued.
"It’s unfortunate because I think in order for us as Democrats to hold the majority, you have to be able to win in seats like mine and in redder seats.
"That means you have to cut your members a little bit of leeway to vote their district.
"This march towards party unity is going to be detrimental to our ability to lead.”
Murphy recalled being accused of holding “anti-immigrant” views for supporting the GOP-pushed “Kate’s Law,” which would have increased penalties for people who sneak back into the US after being deported.
"I believe in immigration and comprehensive immigration reform and the ability for people to immigrate to the United States in a legal way,” Murphy told the outlet.
"But I also believe in law and order, and ensuring that we hold people who commit crimes accountable.”
When it came to Biden’s multitrillion-dollar Build Back Better agenda, Murphy alleged leadership had opted to “beat moderates into submission” to get them behind the spending plan.
“I can’t tell you the number of times I said, ‘You can’t keep promising rainbows and unicorns when your political reality is such narrow margins in the House and a dead-even Senate,’” Murphy told Politico.
"They took the difference between rainbows and unicorns and political reality — which is anger and disappointment — and turned that anger and disappointment against their own members.”
Murphy said hardball tactics are consistently used by Democrats to push members to “take one [vote] for the team” in order to satisfy the Democrat leadership, such as Biden’s lieutenants at the DCCC.
“Some of these members who would come to me would say … ‘I can’t afford to tick off the DCCC and have them put my money at risk,’ or, ‘I can’t afford to have my base attacking me. I can’t afford to have the millions of dollars of ads that I’m watching run in your district run against me,’” Murphy explained.
“It’s unfortunate that that’s where we have gotten.”
Murphy slammed Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), the DCCC’s chief, as having a self-interest in pushing members to vote for radical policies if it means a promotion for himself from party leaders in the future:
"I believe that the DCCC exists for one reason and one reason alone, and that is incumbent protection and expanding the majority,” Murphy said.
"I don’t believe that the person who runs the DCCC should be a member who’s elected, because inevitably that member … has further aspirations in the Democratic leadership. And in order to ascend in Democratic leadership, you have to secure the progressive vote.
"And securing the progressive vote makes it difficult for you to also then protect moderates and create space for them to do what they need to do to win and hold seats. … I think that’s just … a structure that is misaligned to what should be the sole purpose of the DCCC, incumbent retention and expanding the majority.”
Not everyone agrees with Murphy, however.
Congressional candidate and state representative Anthony Sabatini (R-FL), who is running in the district from which Murphy is retiring, said Murphy is just whining about party politics because the Democrats lost control of Florida.
In recent months, voter registration has tipped for Republicans for the first time in history.
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Noting Murphy voted with Pelosi the vast majority of the time, Sabatini suggested she has no right to complain about the radical Democrat Party.
“Despite her rhetoric, Stephanie Murphy was very left-wing and voted with Nancy Pelosi 98% of the time—and voted against the entire MAGA agenda,” Sabatini said.
“The truth is, the radical communist Democrat party has gone so far left that even hardened liberals like Murphy aren’t extreme enough to gain leadership positions,” he added.
Joe Biden is officially the Worst President in American history
— Rep. Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) March 13, 2022
Murphy is among the 31 House Democrats who have decided not to run for reelection for various motives, such as the desire to retire from the public eye for personal reasons or to run for a different office.
This amounts to the largest mass exodus in three decades.
The retirements will greatly favor Republicans due to the incumbent advantage.
Republicans are heading into the midterms leading Democrats on the nation’s top issues, according to polling.
Among the top issues that favor Republicans are the economy (48 – 35 percent), jobs (46 – 37 percent), immigration (45 – 38 percent), and energy (42 – 39 percent).
