City commissioner Rita Smart withdrew Friday from the race for city commission and filed to run for Harry Moberly’s seat in the state House of Representatives.
Moberly, a Democrat, announced Thursday that he would not seek re-election, on the heels of the same announcement from Sen. Ed Worley, D-Richmond.
Smart, who was the first city commissioner to file for re-election, said Friday she had “given much thought” to where she could best serve the citizens of Richmond and Madison County.
“The answer has become very clear to me that I can best be of service by representing House District 81 in the Kentucky Legislature,” she wrote in a statement.
The top vote-getter in the 2008 race for city commission, Smart received 17.26 percent of the votes cast. At her first meeting, she was elected mayor pro tem.
Smart also was instrumental last year in helping bring to light the city’s economic crisis.
The Richmond bed and breakfast owner and registered Democrat said she knows “some very qualified people will be running (for city commission) who will continue the work that I have begun.”
“I am proud of my ethic as a problem-solver who has sought to bring Richmond to a higher level of fiscal and administrative responsibility,” she said. “During my remaining year as a city commissioner, I will be just as diligent in pursuing the goal of raising Richmond to become one of the great cities of the commonwealth.”
Smart said the paperwork she filed with the Secretary of State’s office, which must be signed by two registered voters of the same party from the jurisdiction from which the candidate seeks nomination, was signed by Moberly and Worley.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said.
Serving as representative for the 81st district “... is a great honor, one that I do not take lightly,” Smart said.
Murphy files for senate
It was a day that Richmond businessman Lee Murphy had been dreaming of for years.
On Friday, the Chapel Communications owner drove to Frankfort and was greeted at the capitol by several state senators who helped him fill out the paperwork to register to run for state senate in the 34th district.
Murphy, 46, is a longtime friend of Worley, who said Wednesday he did not plan to run for re-election.
After his paperwork was completed, Murphy walked with former governor Julian Carroll toward the secretary of state’s office, where Worley and Moberly signed it as the two voters from the same party and voting area.
Murphy has long been active behind-the-scenes in politics, managing and volunteering for several campaigns. He managed Smart’s campaign for city commission in 2008 and was a consultant for Judge Earl-Ray Neal’s 2005 campaign.
He interned for Gov. Martha Lane Collins and recently was a special assistant to Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo. Murphy also has twice been a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.
Murphy said until recently, he thought Worley would seek one more term, and then he would make his move. But the opportunity came sooner.
“Now is the time. I’ve been planning this for the past 12 years,” he said. “I have some pretty large shoes to fill.”
Murphy is active in several local community organizations and is a member of St. Mark’s Catholic Church.
He also owns Fantastic Sam’s hair salons in Richmond, Lexington and Winchester.
Shepherd files for judge
Nora J. Shepherd of Richmond filed Thursday to run for family court judge in the 3rd division of the 25th district, which serves Madison and Clark counties.
Shepherd, 41, has been an attorney with Sword, Floyd and Moody for 12 years. She also is a member of the Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and the Richmond Rotary Club.
Shepherd said it has been a lifelong dream of hers to be a judge.
“I’ve never been a political person, but I have always wanted to be a judge,” she said. “Now is the time. If I don’t do it now, I think I will regret it.”
Shepherd has been practicing family law cases for many years, she said, and thinks she has the appropriate demeanor and experience to deal with sensitive cases and make good decisions on behalf of families.
“Family court is so important,” she said. “We are so very fortunate to have a court devoted strictly to these issues.”
“I’m ready to devote my life to helping families,” she added.
Shepherd received her juris doctor from the University of Louisville and was admitted to the bar in 1995. She is very active in the local bar association.
Lorie Love Hailey can be reached at 624-6690 or llove@richmondregister.com. Follow Lorie at twitter.com/lorie_hailey.
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