Childhood and Education Journey of Chris Murphy in Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Chris Murphy. A timeline of key moments.

Chris Murphy is the junior United States Senator from Connecticut, serving since 2013. A Democrat, his career includes prior service in the U.S. House of Representatives (2007-2013) and both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly. He served two terms each in the Connecticut House of Representatives (1999-2003) and the Connecticut Senate (2003-2007). He is also an author and an activist.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

August 3, 1973: Christopher Murphy Born

On August 3, 1973, Christopher Scott Murphy was born. He is an American lawyer, author, and politician.

Others born on this day/year

1997: Planning and Zoning Commission Seat

In 1997, Christopher Murphy was first elected to office, winning a seat on the planning and zoning commission in Southington.

1998: Elected State Representative

In 1998, at age 25, Christopher Murphy defeated incumbent Republican State Representative Angelo Fusco with 55% of the vote, marking his entry into the Connecticut House of Representatives.

March 1999: Criticized Nancy Johnson's Impeachment Vote

In March 1999, Christopher Murphy criticized U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Johnson's vote for impeaching President Bill Clinton, showcasing his early political stances.

1999: Connecticut House of Representatives

In 1999, Christopher Murphy became a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, serving two terms, marking the start of his career in the Connecticut General Assembly.

2000: Re-elected State Representative

In 2000, Christopher Murphy was re-elected to a second term as State Representative, defeating Barbara Morelli with 68% of the vote, demonstrating strong voter support.

2001: Co-sponsored Bill to Eliminate Child Poverty

In 2001, Christopher Murphy co-sponsored a bill to eliminate child poverty, demonstrating his early focus on social welfare issues. He also proposed legislation for free community-technical college tuition and a ban on smoking in state colleges.

2002: Supporter of LGBT Rights

In 2002, Christopher Murphy was a supporter of rights for LGBT people, demonstrating his early advocacy for LGBT equality. He served on the Judiciary Committee during his tenure.

2003: Joined Clean Car Alliance

In 2003, Christopher Murphy joined the Clean Car Alliance and supported California-like environmental standards on auto manufacturers, demonstrating his commitment to environmental protection.

2003: Connecticut Senate

In 2003, Christopher Murphy transitioned to the Connecticut Senate after serving in the Connecticut House of Representatives.

2004: Billy Smolinski Jr.'s Disappearance

In 2004, Billy Smolinski Jr., a resident of Murphy's district, disappeared, inspiring Murphy's later efforts to reform missing-persons databases.

2004: Supported Smoking Ban in Restaurants and Bars

In 2004, Christopher Murphy supported a bill that would ban smoking in all restaurants and bars, reflecting his focus on public health issues.

2004: Re-elected to Connecticut State Senate

In 2004, Christopher Murphy was re-elected to a second term in the Connecticut State Senate, defeating Republican Christopher O'Brien with 60% of the vote.

2005: Authored Legislation on Child Protection and Stem-Cell Research

In 2005, Christopher Murphy authored legislation establishing the new Office of Child Protection, and also wrote Public Act 05–149, permitting stem-cell research while prohibiting human cloning.

2005: Co-sponsored Civil Union Bill

In 2005, during his tenure in the State Senate, Christopher Murphy was one of the first ten co-sponsors of a civil union bill that passed the General Assembly, demonstrating his support for LGBT rights.

2006: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

In 2006, Christopher Murphy was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating twelve-term incumbent Republican Nancy Johnson with 56% of the vote, marking a significant victory.

May 2007: Organized Support for Ethics Panel

In May 2007, Christopher Murphy organized a group of freshmen House members to support the creation of an independent, non-partisan ethics panel to review complaints against members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

August 2007: Marriage to Catherine Holahan

In August 2007, Chris Murphy married Catherine Holahan.

2007: U.S. House of Representatives

In 2007, Christopher Murphy was elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing Connecticut's 5th congressional district.

2007: Proposed Making Home Invasion a Federal Crime

In 2007, after home invasions in his district, Christopher Murphy proposed making home invasion a federal crime, aiming to address local safety concerns.

March 2008: Independent Office of Congressional Ethics Passed

In March 2008, the independent Office of Congressional Ethics, which Christopher Murphy helped shape, was passed into law by the House, enhancing congressional accountability.

August 2008: Supported Increased Oil Drilling

In August 2008, Christopher Murphy sent a letter to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer expressing support for increased oil drilling as part of a bipartisan energy bill, showcasing a nuanced approach to energy policy.

2008: Authored Supportive Housing Investment Act

In 2008, Christopher Murphy authored the "Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act", passed by the House, to modernize Section 811, which governs federal supportive housing grants.

2008: Added Amendment to Rail Legislation

In 2008, Christopher Murphy successfully added an amendment to rail legislation to facilitate cooperation between Amtrak and the state of Connecticut on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line project.

2008: Re-elected to U.S. House

In 2008, Christopher Murphy was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives with 60% of the vote, demonstrating continued strong support from his district.

2008: Passed Government Funding Transparency Act

In 2008, as a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Christopher Murphy introduced and successfully passed into law the "Government Funding Transparency Act of 2008", requiring companies doing major business with the federal government to disclose top executives' salaries.

2008: Proposed Making Home Invasion a Federal Crime

In 2008, following a brutal home invasion in Cheshire, Christopher Murphy proposed making home invasion a federal crime, aiming to address local safety concerns.

August 2009: Defended Role in Health-Care Reform Bill

In August 2009, Christopher Murphy defended his role in supporting HR 3200, the House health-care reform bill, at a contentious town hall meeting in Simsbury.

2009: Introduced Billy's Law

In 2009, Christopher Murphy introduced "Billy's Law" to improve coordination of law-enforcement efforts to locate missing persons, named in honor of Billy Smolinski Jr.

2010: Re-elected to U.S. House

In 2010, Christopher Murphy was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, securing 54% of the vote.

January 20, 2011: Announced Senate Run

On January 20, 2011, Christopher Murphy announced that he would run for the Senate seat held by Joe Lieberman, who was retiring.

February 2011: Voted to Extend Patriot Act Provisions

In February 2011, Christopher Murphy voted to extend provisions of the Patriot Act, despite his calls for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, illustrating a complex stance on national security.

2011: Suggested Investigation of Justice Clarence Thomas

In 2011, Christopher Murphy sponsored a bill subjecting Supreme Court Justices to the same ethical code as other federal judges and suggested an investigation into Justice Clarence Thomas's ethical violations related to Republican Party supporters.

2012: U.S. Senate Run

In 2012, Christopher Murphy ran for the U.S. Senate after Joe Lieberman retired. He won against Susan Bysiewicz in the primary and Linda McMahon in the general election and became the youngest senator of the 113th Congress.

2012: Elected to the U.S. Senate

In 2012, Christopher Murphy was elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating Linda McMahon with 55% of the vote, marking a significant milestone in his career.

January 3, 2013: Took Office as U.S. Senator

On January 3, 2013, Christopher Murphy took office as the junior United States senator for Connecticut, focusing on transportation, infrastructure, Long Island Sound preservation, small farms, and Connecticut manufacturing.

May 19, 2013: Honorary Doctorate

On May 19, 2013, Christopher Murphy received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of New Haven.

2013: U.S. Senate

In 2013, Christopher Murphy became the junior United States Senator from Connecticut.

2015: Self-Identification as 'Protestant/unaffiliated'

In 2015, Chris Murphy identified as "Protestant/unaffiliated" and stated that he was "not a regular churchgoer these days", partially due to his children and busy schedule.

2016: Walk Across Connecticut

In 2016, Christopher Murphy walked 126 miles across Connecticut, engaging with constituents and holding daily town hall meetings.

2017: Repeated Walk Across Connecticut

In 2017, Christopher Murphy repeated his walk across Connecticut, covering 106 miles and holding five town hall meetings, continuing his engagement with constituents.

June 2018: New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line Began Operation

In June 2018, the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line, for which Christopher Murphy advocated, began operation, providing daily commuter service.

2018: Re-elected to U.S. Senate

In 2018, Christopher Murphy was re-elected to the U.S. Senate for a second term, defeating Republican businessman Matt Corey with 59.5 percent of the vote.

2018: Senate Re-election Win

In 2018, Christopher Murphy won re-election to the U.S. Senate for a second term.

2020: Met with Iranian Foreign Minister

In early 2020, Christopher Murphy secretly met with Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss various issues, including U.S. nationals detained in Iran and regional conflicts.

2021: Called for Removal of Donald Trump

In 2021, following the storming of the United States Capitol, Christopher Murphy called for the removal of Donald Trump from office and announced he would lead an investigation into the security breaches during the attack.

June 2022: Called the overturning of Roe v. Wade a "disaster"

In June 2022, after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Chris Murphy called it a "disaster" of a decision.

2023: Joining Churches in Hartford and Washington

By 2023, Chris Murphy had joined churches in Hartford and Washington.

November 15, 2024: Confirmation of Separation from Wife

On November 15, 2024, Chris Murphy's office confirmed that he and his wife, Catherine Holahan, were separating after 17 years of marriage.

2024: Senate Re-election Win

In 2024, Christopher Murphy won re-election to the U.S. Senate for a third term.

2024: Won Re-election to Senate

In 2024, Christopher Murphy won the general election and was elected to a third term in the US Senate.

March 2025: Stated "The White House has become an arm of the Kremlin"

In March 2025, Chris Murphy stated "The White House has become an arm of the Kremlin."

April 2025: Voted for resolutions to cancel the Trump's administration's sales of $8.8 billion in bombs and other munitions to Israel

In April 2025, Chris Murphy voted for a pair of resolutions, proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders, to cancel the Trump's administration's sales of $8.8 billion in bombs and other munitions to Israel.