Tom Murphy (U.S. Politician) - Reapportionment and Downfall

Reapportionment and Downfall

Fiercely partisan, Murphy described himself as a "yellow dog" Democrat, or one who would rather vote for a yellow dog than vote for a Republican. U.S. Representative Lynn A. Westmoreland (R-Georgia) put it bluntly: "Tom Murphy wasn't fair, he wasn't bipartisan and he didn't light up a room with his smile." In 1991 and 2001 Murphy presided over the reapportionment process which redrew congressional and legislative lines. The resulting district maps were criticized for gerrymandering, which significantly favored Democrats. Murphy acted to redraw the congressional seats of high-profile Republicans Newt Gingrich (1991), and Bob Barr (2001), in what was viewed as typical of his "hardball" application of political power. Gingrich remarked that "The Speaker, by raising money and gerrymandering, has sincerely dedicated a part of his career to wiping me out." However, gerrymandering ultimately proved to be Murphy's downfall. The contorted districts both confused and angered voters, and is believed to have led to Murphy losing his own seat in 2002.

Shortly after the controversial 2001 reapportionment process, and Murphy's own political defeat, political power shifted in favor of the Republicans, who gained control of both chambers of the Legislature, the Governor's office, and the majority of state-wide elected offices.

Murphy suffered a stroke in 2004, which left him incapacitated. He died at 10:00 p.m. on December 17, 2007, in Bremen after years of declining health.

To honor his service to Georgia, Murphy lay in state at the Georgia State Capitol on December 21, 2007—first within the House chambers and then in the Capitol Rotunda.