Repeal Advocate Murphy Launches New Campaign

One of the main proponents of last year's congressional repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" is running for attorney general of Pennsylvania.

Patrick Murphy, who served two terms in the House of Representatives, launched his campaign Wednesday. Voters returned Republican Mike Fitzpatrick to the House seat in November's election, four years after Murphy pushed Fitzpatrick out of office in the 2006 race.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Murphy will run against former prosecutor Kathleen Granahan Kane for the Democratic nomination. Two other attorneys, Dan McCaffery and former Philadelphia district attorney Lynne M. Abraham, have also expressed interest in the seat. No Democrat has held the post since 1980, when it became an elected office, but no strong Republican contenders have officially stepped forward for the 2012 election.

Murphy was the first Iraq war vet to serve in Congress and was the lead sponsor of a House bill to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." He also taught constitutional law at West Point and was a special assistant U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York.