In the aftermath of yesterday’s harrowing Drumpfster fire, there was at least one positive election result from the United States.
As of Wednesday, Florida’s 7th Congressional District has a new representative: Democrat Stephanie Murphy unseated her 12-term opponent to become the first-ever Vietnamese-American woman elected to Congress, reports NBC.
Thirty-seven-year-old Murphy only took up the race in June, just a day before the qualifying deadline, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Still, she managed to earn just over 51% of the vote in Florida’s 7th, ending Republican John Mica’s 24-year tenure.
Murphy is new to politics. The newly elected Congresswoman currently works at a Florida investment firm in addition to teaching business and social entrepreneurship at a local college. Murphy also worked for the Department of Defense for a time after the attacks on September 11, 2001.
Beyond her professional achievements, the Florida resident and her parents came to the United States from Vietnam as refugees; they were rescued at sea by the US Navy when she was one year old. Murphy was the first in her family to attend university, and is now the second Vietnamese-American ever to hold Congressional office.
During her campaign, Murphy received endorsements from both President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden as well as the Human Rights Campaign.
[Photo via NBC]
