HARTFORD, Conn. Chris Murphy was just 23 when he became campaign manager for Charlotte Koskoff and nearly steered her campaign to victory over powerful Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson.
On Tuesday, 10 years later, Murphy did what Koskoff couldn't, beating the 12-term incumbent in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District, which covers most of western and central Connecticut, including the cities of New Britain, Meriden and Danbury and most of Waterbury.
``Charlotte taught me that political conventional wisdom can be overcome,'' Murphy said. ``No one thought she could compete with a 14-year incumbent and she did. Very few people thought that I could compete with a 24-year incumbent this year, and we have.''
Murphy, 33, an attorney and state senator, successfully portrayed the 71-year-old Johnson as an entrenched incumbent who has been in Washington too long.
He slammed her for taking contributions from drug companies and blamed her for co-authoring Medicare prescription drug legislation that many senior citizens found confusing. He said people responded to his message.
``I think they are very frustrated with the direction that Congress has taken,'' Murphy said. ``They're upset with the influence of special interests, they're upset with daily corruption, and they don't see Nancy Johnson standing up to the malfeasance.''
Murphy said his victory was both a local referendum and was helped by a national trend for Democrats.
``They wanted a congressman that would listen to them on a daily basis,'' he said. ``But I think this was a local referendum today.''
Murphy was first elected to the state Senate in 2003 and was co-chairman of the Public Health Committee. He has worked on issues such as the state's smoking ban in bars, restaurants and work places, and expanded low-cost prescription drug coverage for the uninsured.
During last year's legislative session, he was involved with legislation to promote stem cell research in Connecticut and to obtain more federal funds for nursing homes.
He fended off Johnson's claims that he voted to allow sex offenders in public housing and reduce penalties against coaches who provide steroids to children.
Murphy, who attended Williams College and graduated from the University of Hartford law school in 2002, lives in Cheshire.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
