Democrat Stephanie Murphy re-elected in US House District 7 race

Democratic incumbent Stephanie Murphy has been declared the winner of the U.S. House District 7 race, securing re-election for a third term.

With 79.9% of precincts reporting, the Associated Press declared Murphy the winner over Republican Leo Valentin and William R. Garlington with 56% of the votes.

[LIVE RACE RESULTS: Scroll to bottom of story to see all race returns]

Republicans once again made Murphy’s seat a target after she defeated 12-term Republican John Mica in 2016 and was able to fend off the GOP challenge in the central Florida district that includes part of Orlando.

Murphy sits on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and its subcommittees on trade and worker and family support. She was born in Vietnam and came to the United States as an infant when her family fled the country.

Before being elected to Congress, she was a national security adviser at the Pentagon, taught at universities and worked in her family business. She went unchallenged in the August primary.

Valentin, a medical doctor, won a three-way GOP primary by 654 votes after investing about $200,000 of his own money in the race.

RACE DETAILS BELOW

Florida’s 7th Congressional District includes portions of Orange and Seminole counties. Incumbent Stephanie Murphy currently holds the seat for U.S. House District 7 and defeated two challengers who were seeking to replace her in the November election.

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Here’s what you need to know about the candidates:

Leo Valentín (R)

Valentín is a medical doctor who runs a radiology practice in Orlando. Valentín says that through his upbringing and career as a physician, he has learned the “importance of promoting local economies, strengthening communities, making quality health care affordable and protecting hardworking families from an overbearing government.” Valentín has an extensive education. Most notably, he attended Harvard Medical School. Click or tap here to learn more about Valentín’s career and election campaign.

Stephanie Murphy (D)

Congresswoman Murphy first assumed office in 2017. Her current term ends in January 2021. Murphy holds a master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of William and Mary. Before becoming a congresswoman, she served in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense and was a businesswoman and instructor. She currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, where she works “to promote smart trade policies that help Central Florida families, create more pathways to the middle class, open more markets for our farmers and businesses and build a stronger, more prosperous nation.” Murphy lives in Winter Park with her husband and two young children. Click to learn more about Murphy’s re-election campaign.

William R. Garlington (NPA)

According to his campaign website, Garlington is a businessman, entrepreneur, author, public speaker and educator. His focus has been on educating individuals on the importance of self-reliance and to look beyond depending on federal and state government. He lives in Oviedo and has one child who is married to a serviceman in the Air Force. On his campaign website, he explains where he stands on key issues like border security and immigration, education and health care.

• Find more election results and news on the Results 2020 page.