In one of Florida’s most intense local election races, a Republican responded to recent “DC-Style” attack ads on his service in law enforcement and his career as a local small business owner in St. Augustine.
Clay Murphy, who is running for St. Johns County Commission, debunked recent claims made in attack ads funded by developers and political rivals. Murphy has been endorsed by the St. Johns Republican Party (REC), the Nocatee Conservative Club and the Republican Liberty Caucus. Murphy’s opponents are outspending his campaign by a 10 to 1 margin.
One ad claims that Murphy was demoted when he served as a law enforcement officer with the Florida Highway Patrol. Murphy told Florida Daily he was never demoted.
“FHP downsized the number of pilots in its air patrol division,” Murphy said. “As the junior pilot, I didn’t want to move to keep my position, so, I chose to go back to my previous position.”
Murphy also addressed the ads at a recent commission meeting during the public comments portion of the meeting.
“I was stunned by the ruthlessness of those hateful, misleading, and outright mischaracterizations of my service as a law enforcement officer,” Murphy said. “When I saw the hit piece commercials on me for the first time, I was shocked that something so false and hurtful about me could even be produced,” Murphy said. “Then I got mad. The tears of my wife that she cried stung me the most.”
Murphy asked why “fellow professed conservative Republicans” would commit such a “horrific and evil” attack on his character. He described his 30 years of experience serving the local community by volunteering tens of thousands of hours mentoring youth in area schools, serving on charity boards, and raising funds for food-insecure residents, including homeless women, unwed mothers, and their children.
Another attack ad described Murphy’s PPP Loan as an “unpaid government loan” to portray Murphy as an unethical debtor. Contrary to the ad’s messaging, Murphy used PPP COVID relief funding for its very purpose: to pay his restaurant employees.
“The loan was forgiven because I kept my staff employed,” Murphy said. “My opponent can’t run from his record, so he’s attacking me with lies.”
In a recent response ad sent by mail, Murphy highlights that his opponent, Roy Alaimo, voted 103 out of 105 times to develop rural lands into denser development including the Outpost conservation property.
“He [Alaimo] also voted against any type of reforms to clear-cutting,” the mailer reads. Roy Alaimo is running a “scorched earth” attack ads to cover up his over-development voting record.”
The mailer cites three “common sense protections” that Alaimo rejected by voting:
- Against keeping 5%+ vegetation and trees to prevent clear-cutting.
- Against notifying you if land is going to be cleared within 300 feet of your house.
- Against leaving natural buffers when a development goes in next door to you.
Throughout his campaign, Murphy has stressed the importance of controlling growth and tougher negotiations with developers for more concessions, such as green space, infrastructure, and tree and landscape protections.
“These are my positions, which is why my opponent is attacking me with lies and half-truths,” said Murphy.
