Lee Murphy kicks off campaign for Congress

Republican candidate for Congress Lee Murphy has a face that may look familiar.

Those who watch “House of Cards” will recognize him as the Secretary of Defense in season two. He's also played smaller roles in commercials, with Viking Cruise among his most recent.

But now Murphy is hoping people will not only recognize him – he also wants their votes.

On July 2, Murphy kicked off his candidacy for U.S. Congress in Georgetown.

“It's a great time to be a Republican,” he said at the Sussex County GOP headquarters. “Our country is on a roll. You can feel it. People are spending money. People are employed.”

If elected, Murphy said, he will represent all Delawareans, unlike Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, who, he said, only votes the Democratic party line and obstructs President Trump at every turn.

“Her voting record is not representative of our state. She is out of touch with the everyday citizen,” he said.

Murphy, 66, who lives in the Bellefonte area north of Wilmington, worked 35 years for Amtrak, starting as a conductor before moving into management. He has also been an actor for 32 years, with his role on the Netflix drama “House of Cards” as one of his most notable.

As an actor in the Screen Actors Guild, Murphy said he has seen the economic boon that Louisiana and New York have reaped from the film industry, and Delaware should pursue it.

“We need to look into bringing the film industry to Delaware,” he said.

Murphy said he has always had an interest in politics. He ran for New Castle County Council in 1984 and state Senate in 2000 and 2002.

If elected, he said, finding a solution to the ongoing opioid crisis would be a high priority. The crisis struck his family when his adult daughter died in 2014 from an overdose. “We need to address the real problem and solutions,” he said.

In 1993, Murphy lost another daughter, 15, to a medical condition. A divorced father, he has a son, 36, three grandchildren and a fourth on the way.

Murphy will face Milford resident Scott Walker in a Republican primary Sept. 9. The winner will face U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester in the November election.

For more information on Murphy and his campaign, go to www.goMurph.com.