Murphey is a 22-year U.S. Army veteran who settled in Harker Heights in 1977. He was reassigned for several years in the 1980s, but returned to the same house and lives there today with his wife. For the past 16 years, he has served as district director for U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards.
For the past few months, Murphey kept his campaign idling in neutral while Republicans Sheffield and Martha Tyroch competed in what at times seemed like a demolition derby.
But both Sheffield and the 63-year-old Murphey said they would run positive campaigns, focusing on the issues.
Murphey is faced with the task of breaking a 22-year Republican lock on the state district seat from Bell County. He said Wednesday Bell County was tired of the status quo and ready for change.
“I think there is a weariness that has developed with Republican leadership in Washington. I think that same weariness exists among voters here in Bell County with Republican leadership in Austin,” Murphey said. “This is an opportunity for someone like myself with experience, some good ideas, and with ability to work well with both Republicans, Democrats and independents, that is well-known in the county.”
But Sheffield said the Republican Party is still strong in Bell County.
“Republicans are going to unite greatly. We’re going to hold this threshold in Bell County. I’ve heard from Governor Perry on down,” Sheffield said.
And Hugh Shine, former state representative and Martha Tyroch supporter, said now that the runoff is over, local Republicans will back Sheffield.
“I’m confident if Ralph runs the same campaign as he did in the runoff against Martha, he will win in November,” Shine said.
Yet Murphey insists voters are more likely today to shed labels and vote for the individual than in past years.
“I don’t think they (voters) are ideologically aligned with the Republican party, most people in Central Texas are middle of the road, to the conservative side, and I know that’s exactly where I am.”
Regarding the Trans-Texas Corridor, a controversial subject that has angered rural Bell County residents and called a land grab, Murphey offered an alternative: Expanding major north-south U.S. Highways 281 and 77, from the Rio Grande Valley to North Texas.
Earlier in his campaign, Sheffield said he would support House Speaker Tom Craddick, who came under fire in the 2007 Legislative session and narrowly survived. Sheffield said he supports Craddick because no other Republican was strong enough to hold the position.
But Murphey said he doesn’t have a dog in that fight.
“I understand that’s going to be the first order of business, to elect the speaker, but I’m keeping my powder dry on that. I’ve been approached to back one person or another, but I think that’s premature. I don’t want to make the speaker politics part of Bell County politics.”
Arthur Resa, chairman of the Bell County Democratic Party, said now that the Republican runoff was over, they were ready to forge ahead toward the November general election, but regardless which Republican won, their strategy would not be much different.
“Whether it’s Sheffield, or Tyroch, it’s not going to phase us a whole lot. They mirror each other. Sam is more moderate,” Resa said.
Although Sheffield said he was going to cool his heels for a while (his staff said he literally campaigned door to door) he expected things to pick up this summer.
Both candidates said they were eager to debate each other.
Sheffield easily won Tuesday’s runoff: 63.5 percent to Tyroch’s 36.5 percent.
