Coffee: Murphy Files To Get Judgeship Back

Only a few weeks after resigning his position as an associate district judge to run for the State Senate, Democrat Robert Murphy of Stillwater has already filed an application with the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Commission to get his old job back, Senate Republican leader Glenn Coffee said today.

Coffee said the move shows that Murphy is not committed to serving the people of District 21 in the Oklahoma Senate, instead showing Murphy's preference for the company of trial lawyers who have funded 70% of his campaign contributions.

Coffee said it also is an embarrassment for the Senate Democrat leaders who recruited Murphy at the last minute to run for the State Senate, and raises serious questions about whether Democrats believe Murphy can be competitive in the race against Republican Jim Halligan, the former president of Oklahoma State University.

"Bob Murphy needs to make up his mind. Does he want to be a judge, or does he want to serve in the State Senate? The people of Senate District 21 have a right to know," said Coffee. "Bob Murphy is clearly more comfortable working with the trial lawyers who are funding 70 percent of his campaign than he is with serving the citizens of Senate District 21.

"With Bob Murphy in such a hurry to get back to a judge's bench, it really shows his lack of commitment to winning the Senate District 21 seat. It is also a sign that Democrats don't really believe they can compete with Republican Jim Halligan for the open Senate District 21 seat.

"The Democrats are spinning to the media and the public that they can hold the Senate District 21 seat, but Bob Murphy's application to get his old job back paints a very different picture of their true feelings about this race," said Coffee.

Senate District 21, which includes portions of Payne, Logan, and Lincoln counties, is being vacated by term-limited Democrat Senator Mike Morgan of Stillwater.

With the Senate tied at 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans, Senate District 21 is a key battleground in 2008 for control of the State Senate.

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