Rep. Patrick Murphy Loses Seat

LGBT advocates suffered a wrenching loss after Patrick Murphy, a former Army paratrooper who championed the successful "don't ask, don't tell" repeal effort in the House, lost his Pennsylvania seat.

Murphy, who rode into office on a Democratic wave in 2006, was summarily ushered back out in Tuesday night's GOP sweep, restoring Michael Fitzpatrick to the seat he had held before being ousted by Murphy.

LGBT progressives made a last-ditch effort to save Murphy with varied advocates collaborating on a Web-based video that trumpeted support for him and encouraged donations to his campaign.

Murphy was recently asked whether he regretted taking on the fight to repeal DADT. "Absolutely not," he responded.

"I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution as an Army officer and as a congressman," he told The Huffington Post. "I take that oath to heart, and I'm going to fight for the values that are in our Constitution. I'm going to fight to make sure that our military has the best personnel policy that it can, and that means repealing the outdated and the dangerous 'don't ask, don't tell' policy."

Fitzpatrick was endorsed by the Log Cabin Republicans and favored waiting for the Pentagon's study to be released before taking a vote on repeal.

Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, lamented the loss.

"Tonight the House of Representatives and our country lost a bright, capable young leader," Sarvis said. "SLDN will forever remember and be grateful for Patrick's remarkable leadership in the fight to repeal DADT, and I have no doubt Patrick Murphy will be back to serve this nation again."