After graduating from high school, she attended Florida State University, where she received a degree in political science in 1992.

When incumbent State Representative Mike Fasano, who had just been elected to the State House in 2012, resigned to accept an appointment by Governor Rick Scott to be the Pasco County Tax Collector,[1] a special election was held to determine his replacement.

Murphy won the nomination of the Democratic Party uncontested, and advanced to the general election, where she faced Bill Gunter, the Republican nominee and a pastor.

Murphy campaigned on "repealing the nuclear cost recovery fee charged by Duke Energy, lowering insurance rates and restoring school funding,"[2] and she claimed support from Alex Sink[3] and Charlie Crist.

[11] Murphy was reelected to a full term in November 2014, receiving 54.4% of the vote over Republican Chris Gregg's 45.6%.