After emerging on the political scene from virtually nowhere, Richard Murphy, a down-to-earth, 61-year-old trucker and Vietnam vet from Green Valley Ranch in northeast Denver, is jockeying to be the Republican anti-war candidate against veteran politician Diana DeGette in CD1.

DeGette has served 17 years in Congress and won election eight times. After redistricting, South Jeffco is now in the newly reconfigured 1st Congressional District, with the Democrat DeGette the incumbent. It was previously in the 6th, with incumbent Republican Mike Coffman.

Although the district is still predominantly Democratic, the party that attracts the bulk of unaffiliated voters would have the numbers to win.

Murphy was dubbed the "mystery trucker" in an article about him in the Colorado Statesman after he won a place on the ballot in a surprise vote at the congressional district assembly.

His opponent is Dan Stroud, a well-known party figure and until recently the chairman of the Denver County Republican Party.

Boosted by the Ron Paul faction, Murphy managed to collect 64 votes at the CD1 nominating assembly April 13, compared to Stroud's 81, and secured a place on the primary ballot.

Supporters of Paul and Rick Santorum attended the assembly in force and snagged all three delegate and all three alternate spots to attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.

Murphy has never run for political office before, although he served on the city council by appointment in Olney Springs for a couple of years in the 1980s.

Since April he has been making the rounds of political breakfasts and ice-cream socials and talking nonstop to precinct committee people. He has a press secretary, Chris Maj, to help him set up interviews and answer phone calls.

Maj met Murphy at a precinct caucus (they live in the same neighborhood) and volunteered to help. Murphy still drives a truck about four days a week and talks politics on his speakerphone while on the road.

So far, Murphy doesn't have a campaign website, but information about him can be found on his Facebook page. He isn’t accepting donations, but that could change if he makes it to the general election.

Murphy summed up his campaign premise in a news release June 6: "I invite all unaffiliated voters fed up with military adventurism to join the Republican Party and vote in the June primary to send me to Congress."

Anyone who is unaffiliated in CD1 can join the Republican Party at www.GoVoteColorado.com until June 19. The primary ballots went out in the mail June 4 and must be returned by June 26.

Murphy said he developed his ideas about politics from listening to what he called "alternative radio shows" on XM Radio while he drives. He likes to listen to conservative talk-show hosts Alex Jones and Roger Hedgecock, he said.

Murphy was born Oct. 11, 1951, in Fort Bellworth, Va. He has been a Republican since he was 18. His father was an Air Force pilot hero during World War II, receiving numerous medals.

He has been married since 1999 to a Ukrainian-born woman. Murphy owns his own truck, a Kenworth 18-wheeler, which he leases out to a trucking company. His favorite pastimes include fishing and riding his Kawasaki 750 motorcycle.

Murphy originally wanted to be a veterinarian, but after one year of college and working as a veterinarian's assistant, he decided he would rather earn more money and have more free time than he would be likely to enjoy as a vet. He has been on the road since 1973.

Murphy's politics are founded on values of self-reliance, smaller government, constitutionality and problem-solving at the grassroots level.

"There's a misconception that government needs to do things for you. But with freedom comes personal responsibility. It's your job to get government out of your face and show them they are not wanted or needed," Murphy said in an interview with the Columbine Courier on June 7.

People should think more about what they can do personally to help others, he said.

"Does anybody ever give a coat to somebody who is pushing a basket? Do you feel good when government does it? No. They take that away from you."

His three favorite issues are discouraging illegal wars, restricting genetically altered food and stopping abuse by government agencies. He objects to the use of predator drones because they use other countries’ air space and kill innocent people.

He thinks the Iraq war was unnecessary and that Saddam Hussein was not in a position to use weapons of mass destruction, even if he had them, because he was "contained" and "surrounded." The pursuit of overseas wars hurts Americans by creating debt and reducing prosperity, Murphy said.

The government is on the wrong track by prosecuting farmers for producing and selling raw milk, Murphy said. He also believes fluoridated water causes cancer and kidney damage.

He believes the Transportation Security Administration is abusing its authority by conducting invasive pat-down searches and thinks security should be the airlines' responsibility, not the government's.

Murphy does not support President Obama's Affordable Health Care Act and instead would like to see insurance sales be permitted across state lines.

"You should be able to buy health insurance from any state where it is accepted," Murphy said.

Information about Murphy is available at http://Murphy4.CO. Click on the Facebook logo.

INFO Box

Active and inactive registered voters

(Source: Colorado secretary of state)

Congressional District 1

Total registered voters (active)

Arapahoe

Dem: 7,870

GOP: 7,257

Unaffiliated: 7,119

Denver

Dem: 127,254

GOP: 46,156

Unaffiliated: 71,436

Jefferson

Dem: 9,315

GOP: 15,884

Unaffiliated: 10,993

TOTAL in CD 1

Dem: 144,439

GOP: 69,297

Unaffiliated: 89,548

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Total registered voters (inactive)

Congressional District 1

Total registered voters

Arapahoe

Dem: 3,586

GOP: 1,965

Unaffiliated: 4,599

Denver

Dem: 86,022

GOP: 30,207

Unaffiliated: 82,672

Jefferson

Dem: 3,789

GOP: 4,886

Unaffiliated: 6,514

TOTAL in CD 1 (inactive)

Dem: 93,398

GOP: 37,058

Unaffiliated: 93,785