Pat Murphy: Bipartisanship in Congress is possible

Democratic congressional candidate Pat Murphy (second fron left) with Winneshiek County Democrats Joyce and Ed Epperly and Georgie Klevar

Democrat Pat Murphy--the Iowa state legislator who has served as both Minority Leader and then as Speaker of the House--has heard all the comments about how Congress is locked in partisan gridlock.

But Murphy--who appeared at a fundraiser in Decorah Tuesday night--says lawmakers can work together.  He says while there are issues that Republicans and Democrats won't compromise, "There are those things you can work on in the middle."

Murphy points to the coalition he helped to put together in support of creating the local option sales tax in support of school districts.  The money generated by the tax has allowed school districts in both urban and rural districts to have a source of funding for building new school buildings.  "That has improved the quality of the communities," he states.

Murphy also points to bipartisan work in the state legislature on two pharmaceutical bills that he was involved with when a relative of his had cancer.  One of the bills set up a repository for unused cancer medicines that had been getting tossed out if unused, but were able to be used by someone else because of the repository.

Murphy is now the Democratic Party candidate for Iowa's First Congreesional District.  He will face Republican Rod Blum in November to determine who succeeds current Congressman Bruce Braley, who is running for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Senator Tom Harkin.

Several in the crowd of local Democrats at the home of Ed & Joyce Epperly asked about the frac sand issue.  Murphy says it's important to focus on wind energy, solar energy, ethanol production and biorefinery to continue Iowa's leadership in renewable energy production.