Rep. Mike Murphy Takes Springfield Chamber Post, Likely to Resign from House
Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) was named the new President and CEO of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and tells The Illinoize he is working on his “exit strategy” to resign from the House.
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Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) was named Tuesday as the next President and CEO of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce and says he’ll likely resign his seat in the General Assembly in the coming weeks.
Murphy is a longtime fixture of the Springfield business scene before being elected State Representative in 2018. He owned the famed Charlie Parker’s Diner in Springfield for many years.
In his statement announcing his hiring, Murphy said his goal is to take the Springfield business community to “new heights.”
“The opportunity to lead The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce is extremely exciting and humbling for me. I understand the importance of a vibrant economy and appreciate the hard work that our local businesses do to make Springfield a special place to live,” he said.
Murphy, 68, had already announced he was unlikely to seek re-election next year if districts were upheld by a federal court. He was drawn into the same district as Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville), who is considered a rising star in Republican circles. Murphy’s family has also been close with Bourne’s family for years.
He told me last night he’s working on an “exit strategy” for his resignation. He doesn’t start his new job until December 1, and the legislature isn’t scheduled to return until January.
“I am talking with local Republican officials on the best way to have the people of the 99th district represented,” Murphy told me last night.
But, that may be trickier than normal.
Assuming the courts don’t dramatically change the Springfield-area legislative districts, Murphy’s resignation may put local Republicans in a bit of a pickle trying to select his replacement.
Murphy’s current 99th district contains most of the south and west Springfield and most of the west side of Sangamon County. But, under the new maps, most of his district is gobbled up by Bourne’s likely district and another represented by Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield).
What Republicans may do is look to give a challenger to Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur) in the new 96th district a one year head start on a traditional challenger. Very little of Murphy’s current 99th and Scherer’s new 96th overlap, but there are some areas where a potential candidate could come from.
"(The peach color is Murphy’s current district. The blue is Scherer’s current district. The gray is the overlap of the new 96th. Please don’t judge my Microsoft Paint effort.)
Of course, the potential candidate could live outside of the shaded area and move into the 96th. One possible candidate could be Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter, who lives just outside the new 96th. Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray may also fit the bill.
No resignation date has been announced.
