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Democrat · U.S. Senate, Connecticut

Serving since Jan 3, 2013119th Congress (2025–27)next election Nov 5, 2030

Bioguide M001169FEC H6CT05124, S2CT00132

Portrait of Christopher Murphy, rendered as a two-tone print
Official portrait
2.6×
the Senate Democrat rate of personal attacks

28% of 522 statements contain a personal attack (148 statements); the average for Senate Democrats is 11%. Ranks 1st of 45, where 1st is the highest rate.

An AI model reads each of Murphy’s Congressional Record speeches, press releases and newsletters and marks whether it attacks a person’s character, integrity or loyalty. The rate is the share of statements marked; it is compared with the average among Senate Democrats and ranked against the same group.

At a glance

6 measures against Senate Democrats. 91% of Murphy’s statements discuss policy, the highest of 45 Senate Democrats (average 78%). 66% of Murphy’s individual money in the 2026 cycle came in gifts of $200 or less, the highest of 45 Senate Democrats (median 35%).

The measures on which Murphy sits furthest from the middle of Senate Democrats, each against the same group, with the CSIP score when there is one. Every number is explained in its own section below.

Personal attacks

28%

Senate Democrats average 11% · ranks 1st of 45

Policy discussion

91%

Senate Democrats average 78% · ranks 1st of 45

Small donations, 2026

66%

Senate Democrats’ median 35% · ranks 1st of 45

Extreme labels

6.5%

Senate Democrats average 2.4% · ranks 3rd of 45

Raised, 2026

$14.0M

Senate Democrats’ median $2.6M · ranks 5th of 45

CSIP ideology

−1.10

Left of 0, the centre of the scale · ± 0.01

Peer group: Senate Democrats. Rank 1 is the highest value in the group; the thick bar is Murphy, the thin grey bar the peer average. The headline is the measure on which Murphy is most unusual among peers (Methods, §08).

Back to topNext: What politicians say

What Murphy says

Murphy attacks opponents personally more than any other Senate Democrat. Personal attacks in 28% of 522 statements, against 11% for the average Senate Democrat; 1st of 45.

An AI model reads each of Murphy’s 522 statements in the 119th Congress (390 press releases, 119 Congressional Record speeches, 13 newsletters) and marks the kinds of statement it contains: a personal attack, criticism of a policy, discussion of policy, bipartisanship, credit claiming, and extreme labels. A statement can carry several. Every rate is compared with the average for Senate Democrats and ranked among them.

Kinds of statement

Share of statements carrying each label, the 119th Congress

0%80%
Murphy
Peers
Rank
Policy discussion477 statements
91%
78%
1st of 45
Credit claiming165 statements
32%
26%
11th of 45
Policy criticism162 statements
31%
37%
38th of 45
Personal attacks148 statements
28%
11%
1st of 45
Bipartisanship139 statements
27%
18%
6th of 45
Show the data
Murphy's share of statements in each category against the Senate Democrats average.
RowMurphyPeers
Policy discussion91%78%
Credit claiming32%26%
Policy criticism31%37%
Personal attacks28%11%
Bipartisanship27%18%
522

statements classified

390 press releases, 119 Congressional Record speeches, 13 newsletters.

press releases: 390 (74.7%)press releases 390Congressional Record speeches: 119 (22.8%)Congressional Record speeches 119newsletters: 13 (2.5%)
Show the data
Murphy's statements by source
PartValue
press releases390
Congressional Record speeches119
newsletters13
How to read the bars

The thick bar is Murphy; the thin grey bar is the average Senate Democrats. A longer thick bar means Murphy does this more than peers. Rank 1 is the highest rate in the group.

Extreme labels

Murphy used extreme labels in 6.5% of statements, 2.8 times the peer average. 34 statements, most often aimed at Donald Trump; peers 2.4%.

  1. “MAGA”12
  2. “radical”10
  3. “extreme”9
  4. “communist”2
  5. “far right”1

Who gets the labels

Targets named alongside an extreme label, by number of statements

  1. Donald Trump2
  2. MAGA2
  3. MAGA supporters2
  4. Trump administration2
  5. abortion bans1
What an extreme label is

Calls a politician, a party or a policy “far left”, “far right”, “MAGA”, “extreme”, “radical”, “woke”, “fascist” or “communist”. The target is who or what the label was aimed at. The lists show the five most used labels and targets; the toggle shows the rest.

Month by month

Share of statements per month, the 119th Congress

Statements2025-01: 412025-02: 382025-03: 372025-04: 352025-05: 382025-06: 472025-07: 232025-08: 142025-09: 192025-10: 142025-11: 132025-12: 92026-01: 192026-02: 192026-03: 362026-04: 282026-05: 102026-06: 252026-07: 82026-08: 62026-09: 282026-10: 15peak 47 · Jun ’25Personal attackspeak 53.3% · Oct ’26 · latest 53.3%Personal attacks, 2025-01: 29.3% of 41Personal attacks, 2025-02: 21.1% of 38Personal attacks, 2025-03: 27.0% of 37Personal attacks, 2025-04: 14.3% of 35Personal attacks, 2025-05: 39.5% of 38Personal attacks, 2025-06: 29.8% of 47Personal attacks, 2025-07: 21.7% of 23Personal attacks, 2025-08: 7.1% of 14Personal attacks, 2025-09: 36.8% of 19Personal attacks, 2025-10: 42.9% of 14Personal attacks, 2025-11: 30.8% of 13Personal attacks, 2025-12: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Personal attacks, 2026-01: 42.1% of 19Personal attacks, 2026-02: 31.6% of 19Personal attacks, 2026-03: 25.0% of 36Personal attacks, 2026-04: 25.0% of 28Personal attacks, 2026-05: 30.0% of 10Personal attacks, 2026-06: 24.0% of 25Personal attacks, 2026-07: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Personal attacks, 2026-08: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Personal attacks, 2026-09: 25.0% of 28Personal attacks, 2026-10: 53.3% of 15Policy criticismpeak 60.0% · May ’26 · latest 6.7%Policy criticism, 2025-01: 34.2% of 41Policy criticism, 2025-02: 47.4% of 38Policy criticism, 2025-03: 29.7% of 37Policy criticism, 2025-04: 34.3% of 35Policy criticism, 2025-05: 23.7% of 38Policy criticism, 2025-06: 25.5% of 47Policy criticism, 2025-07: 30.4% of 23Policy criticism, 2025-08: 14.3% of 14Policy criticism, 2025-09: 36.8% of 19Policy criticism, 2025-10: 28.6% of 14Policy criticism, 2025-11: 23.1% of 13Policy criticism, 2025-12: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Policy criticism, 2026-01: 42.1% of 19Policy criticism, 2026-02: 47.4% of 19Policy criticism, 2026-03: 36.1% of 36Policy criticism, 2026-04: 25.0% of 28Policy criticism, 2026-05: 60.0% of 10Policy criticism, 2026-06: 28.0% of 25Policy criticism, 2026-07: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Policy criticism, 2026-08: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Policy criticism, 2026-09: 25.0% of 28Policy criticism, 2026-10: 6.7% of 15Policy discussionpeak 100.0% · Feb ’25 · latest 100.0%Policy discussion, 2025-01: 95.1% of 41Policy discussion, 2025-02: 100.0% of 38Policy discussion, 2025-03: 86.5% of 37Policy discussion, 2025-04: 85.7% of 35Policy discussion, 2025-05: 76.3% of 38Policy discussion, 2025-06: 91.5% of 47Policy discussion, 2025-07: 95.7% of 23Policy discussion, 2025-08: 57.1% of 14Policy discussion, 2025-09: 100.0% of 19Policy discussion, 2025-10: 100.0% of 14Policy discussion, 2025-11: 100.0% of 13Policy discussion, 2025-12: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Policy discussion, 2026-01: 94.7% of 19Policy discussion, 2026-02: 100.0% of 19Policy discussion, 2026-03: 80.6% of 36Policy discussion, 2026-04: 92.9% of 28Policy discussion, 2026-05: 100.0% of 10Policy discussion, 2026-06: 96.0% of 25Policy discussion, 2026-07: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Policy discussion, 2026-08: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Policy discussion, 2026-09: 96.4% of 28Policy discussion, 2026-10: 100.0% of 15Bipartisanshippeak 53.8% · Nov ’25 · latest 6.7%Bipartisanship, 2025-01: 29.3% of 41Bipartisanship, 2025-02: 18.4% of 38Bipartisanship, 2025-03: 13.5% of 37Bipartisanship, 2025-04: 28.6% of 35Bipartisanship, 2025-05: 28.9% of 38Bipartisanship, 2025-06: 34.0% of 47Bipartisanship, 2025-07: 17.4% of 23Bipartisanship, 2025-08: 21.4% of 14Bipartisanship, 2025-09: 36.8% of 19Bipartisanship, 2025-10: 42.9% of 14Bipartisanship, 2025-11: 53.8% of 13Bipartisanship, 2025-12: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Bipartisanship, 2026-01: 26.3% of 19Bipartisanship, 2026-02: 36.8% of 19Bipartisanship, 2026-03: 5.6% of 36Bipartisanship, 2026-04: 35.7% of 28Bipartisanship, 2026-05: 30.0% of 10Bipartisanship, 2026-06: 36.0% of 25Bipartisanship, 2026-07: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Bipartisanship, 2026-08: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Bipartisanship, 2026-09: 21.4% of 28Bipartisanship, 2026-10: 6.7% of 15Credit claimingpeak 70.0% · May ’26 · latest 33.3%Credit claiming, 2025-01: 41.5% of 41Credit claiming, 2025-02: 23.7% of 38Credit claiming, 2025-03: 21.6% of 37Credit claiming, 2025-04: 28.6% of 35Credit claiming, 2025-05: 34.2% of 38Credit claiming, 2025-06: 29.8% of 47Credit claiming, 2025-07: 39.1% of 23Credit claiming, 2025-08: 14.3% of 14Credit claiming, 2025-09: 26.3% of 19Credit claiming, 2025-10: 28.6% of 14Credit claiming, 2025-11: 23.1% of 13Credit claiming, 2025-12: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Credit claiming, 2026-01: 15.8% of 19Credit claiming, 2026-02: 26.3% of 19Credit claiming, 2026-03: 27.8% of 36Credit claiming, 2026-04: 32.1% of 28Credit claiming, 2026-05: 70.0% of 10Credit claiming, 2026-06: 36.0% of 25Credit claiming, 2026-07: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Credit claiming, 2026-08: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Credit claiming, 2026-09: 35.7% of 28Credit claiming, 2026-10: 33.3% of 15Extreme labelspeak 15.8% · Sep ’25 · latest 6.7%Extreme labels, 2025-01: 9.8% of 41Extreme labels, 2025-02: 7.9% of 38Extreme labels, 2025-03: 13.5% of 37Extreme labels, 2025-04: 8.6% of 35Extreme labels, 2025-05: 5.3% of 38Extreme labels, 2025-06: 2.1% of 47Extreme labels, 2025-07: 0.0% of 23Extreme labels, 2025-08: 0.0% of 14Extreme labels, 2025-09: 15.8% of 19Extreme labels, 2025-10: 14.3% of 14Extreme labels, 2025-11: 7.7% of 13Extreme labels, 2025-12: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Extreme labels, 2026-01: 0.0% of 19Extreme labels, 2026-02: 5.3% of 19Extreme labels, 2026-03: 2.8% of 36Extreme labels, 2026-04: 0.0% of 28Extreme labels, 2026-05: 10.0% of 10Extreme labels, 2026-06: 12.0% of 25Extreme labels, 2026-07: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Extreme labels, 2026-08: not plotted (fewer than 10 statements)Extreme labels, 2026-09: 7.1% of 28Extreme labels, 2026-10: 6.7% of 15Jan ’25Jul ’25Jan ’26Jul ’26Oct ’26
Show the data
Monthly rates for Murphy, each row shaded against its own peak, with statement volume. Months with fewer than 10 statements are left blank.
ColumnStatementsPersonal attacksPolicy criticismPolicy discussionBipartisanshipCredit claimingExtreme labels
Jan ’254129.3%34.2%95.1%29.3%41.5%9.8%
Feb ’253821.1%47.4%100.0%18.4%23.7%7.9%
Mar ’253727.0%29.7%86.5%13.5%21.6%13.5%
Apr ’253514.3%34.3%85.7%28.6%28.6%8.6%
May ’253839.5%23.7%76.3%28.9%34.2%5.3%
Jun ’254729.8%25.5%91.5%34.0%29.8%2.1%
Jul ’252321.7%30.4%95.7%17.4%39.1%0.0%
Aug ’25147.1%14.3%57.1%21.4%14.3%0.0%
Sep ’251936.8%36.8%100.0%36.8%26.3%15.8%
Oct ’251442.9%28.6%100.0%42.9%28.6%14.3%
Nov ’251330.8%23.1%100.0%53.8%23.1%7.7%
Dec ’259— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)
Jan ’261942.1%42.1%94.7%26.3%15.8%0.0%
Feb ’261931.6%47.4%100.0%36.8%26.3%5.3%
Mar ’263625.0%36.1%80.6%5.6%27.8%2.8%
Apr ’262825.0%25.0%92.9%35.7%32.1%0.0%
May ’261030.0%60.0%100.0%30.0%70.0%10.0%
Jun ’262524.0%28.0%96.0%36.0%36.0%12.0%
Jul ’268— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)
Aug ’266— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)— (fewer than 10 statements)
Sep ’262825.0%25.0%96.4%21.4%35.7%7.1%
Oct ’261553.3%6.7%100.0%6.7%33.3%6.7%
How to read the strips

Each row is one kind of statement; each cell is a month, shaded against that row’s own peak (darker = closer to the peak), with the peak and the latest value written at the right. The top row counts statements. The strip covers every month of the 119th Congress, the same span as the rates above, including months with no statements. A month with fewer than 10 statements is hatched, not shaded: one or two posts would swing its rate to 0% or 100%. 3 months are hatched here.

In Murphy’s words

Real statements from the classifier’s example set, with the labels it assigned

Bipartisanship

Murphy, Hawley Announce Breakthrough Bipartisan Legislation to Force AI Developers to Prioritize Safety or Face Prison Time WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced bipartisan legislation to ensure artificial intelligence (AI) agent operators and dev…

Oct 1, 2026 · Press releases · policy discussion; bipartisanship; credit claiming; Science, Technology, Communications; Crime and Law Enforcement; Law · Source

Personal attacks

Murphy Hits JD Vance on Trump Corruption, Brings Receipts WASHINGTON, D.C.—In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) published a Substack article responding to Vice President J.D. Vance’s ludicrous claim that President Trump has not used the powers of the presidency to enrich himse…

Oct 21, 2026 · Press releases · personal attacks; policy discussion; Government Operations and Politics; Finance and Financial Sector; Economics and Public Finance; Armed Forces and National Security; target: JD Vance, Donald Trump · Source

Extreme label

Murphy, Kelly, Schiff Slam Attorney General Blanche for Illegally Allowing Sale of Guns to Teenagers, Increasing Likelihood of School Shootings WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Friday led in a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanch…

Oct 16, 2026 · Press releases · policy discussion; credit claiming; Crime and Law Enforcement; Law; Government Operations and Politics; extreme label “radical” aimed at gun sales · Source

Examples by category

Up to five recent statements in each category

Category

Overtly questions a named person’s character, integrity or loyalty, or calls them names. Criticising a record or a policy does not count.

  1. Press releases

    Murphy Hits JD Vance on Trump Corruption, Brings Receipts WASHINGTON, D.C.—In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) published a Substack article responding to Vice President J.D. Vance’s ludicrous claim that President Trump has not used the powers of the presidency to enrich himself and his family. In a response to Vance’s comments on CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil, Murphy laid out the damning…

    personal attacks · policy discussion · Government Operations and Politics · Finance and Financial Sector · Economics and Public Finance · Armed Forces and National Security · target: JD Vance, Donald TrumpSource

  2. Newsletters

    JD Vance says he hasn’t seen evidence Trump is enriching himself. I brought receipts. JD Vance says he hasn’t seen “a single shred of evidence” that Donald Trump is enriching himself in office. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here<https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2hyaXNtdXJwaHljdC5jb20vc3Vic2NyaWJlP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPWVtYWlsLXN1YnNjcmliZSZyPTc3aTB1ZiZuZXh0PWh0dHBzJTNBJTJ…

    personal attacks · policy discussion · Government Operations and Politics · Finance and Financial Sector · Economics and Public Finance · Armed Forces and National Security · International Affairs · target: Donald Trump, JD Vance

  3. Press releases

    Murphy on Face the Nation: Americans Should Be Furious at Trump's Spiraling Crisis in the Middle East WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Sunday joined Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan. In the immediate aftermath of Houthi attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, which killed at least 12 people, including an American c…

    personal attacks · policy discussion · Armed Forces and National Security · International Affairs · Economics and Public Finance · Energy · Government Operations and Politics · Agriculture and Food · target: Donald Trump, Pete HegsethSource

  4. Press releases

    Murphy's Behind-the-Scenes Details of CODEL to the Gulf WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Saturday authored a Substack article offering the day-by-day details and post-travel reflections of his Congressional Delegation (CODEL) trip to the Middle East, which included stops in Doha, Qatar and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the piece, Murphy lays ou…

    personal attacks · policy discussion · credit claiming · Armed Forces and National Security · International Affairs · Energy · Government Operations and Politics · Law · target: Donald Trump, Pete HegsethSource

  5. Newsletters

    Behind the Scenes: My Visit to the Middle East I refuse to accept this moment as normal. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here<https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2hyaXNtdXJwaHljdC5jb20vc3Vic2NyaWJlP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPWVtYWlsLXN1YnNjcmliZSZyPTc3aTB1ZiZuZXh0PWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmNocmlzbXVycGh5Y3QuY29tJTJGcCUyRmJlaGluZC10aGUtc2NlbmVzLW15LXZpc2l0LXRvLXRoZSIsInAiOjIxOTczNDgz…

    personal attacks · policy discussion · credit claiming · Armed Forces and National Security · International Affairs · Energy · Government Operations and Politics · target: Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth

All 522 statements

Newest first, the 119th Congress

The full feed

Five statements at a time, newest first; filters apply to the statements loaded so far. Export saves the statements that match. Sources: 390 press releases, 119 Congressional Record speeches, 13 newsletters.

Back to topNext: Policy

Policy

Government Operations and Politics is what Murphy talks about most: 43% of policy statements, 1.9 times the peer share. Talk and legislation agree at 0.63 on a 0–1 scale (Senate Democrats average 0.66; 37th of 45).

Each policy statement is tagged by the AI model with one or more of 25 policy areas from the Congressional Research Service list, so the shares say what Murphy talks about. The bills Murphy sponsors and cosponsors carry the same areas, so the two can be compared.

What Murphy talks about

Share of policy statements by area, the 119th Congress

0%47%
Murphy
Peers
Government Operations and Politics205 statements
43%
22%
Armed Forces and National Security185 statements
39%
21%
Economics and Public Finance183 statements
38%
24%
Health153 statements
32%
27%
International Affairs149 statements
31%
12%
Show the data
Policy areas Murphy talks about, as a share of policy statements, against the Senate Democrats average.
RowMurphyPeers
Government Operations and Politics43%22%
Armed Forces and National Security39%21%
Economics and Public Finance38%24%
Health32%27%
International Affairs31%12%
How to read the bars

The thick bar is the share of Murphy’s policy statements in an area; the thin grey bar is the average share for Senate Democrats. A statement counts once in each of its areas, so shares can add to more than 100%. The five largest areas are shown; the toggle shows the rest.

Talks about · legislates on

Left: share of statements by policy area. Right: share of bills. Areas in order of their share of statements; both sides run from 0 to 47%. Grey ticks are the Senate Democrats averages.

Talks aboutLegislates onGovernment Operations andPoliticsGovernment Operations and Politics, talks about: 43% (Senate Democrats 22%)43%Government Operations and Politics, legislates on: 8% (Senate Democrats 9%)8%Armed Forces and NationalSecurityArmed Forces and National Security, talks about: 39% (Senate Democrats 21%)39%Armed Forces and National Security, legislates on: 3% (Senate Democrats 7%)3%Economics and Public FinanceEconomics and Public Finance, talks about: 38% (Senate Democrats 24%)38%Economics and Public Finance, legislates on: 0% (Senate Democrats 0%)0%HealthHealth, talks about: 32% (Senate Democrats 27%)32%Health, legislates on: 13% (Senate Democrats 14%)13%International AffairsInternational Affairs, talks about: 31% (Senate Democrats 12%)31%International Affairs, legislates on: 16% (Senate Democrats 8%)16%
Show the data
Murphy's share of statements against share of bills in each policy area.
AreaTalks aboutSenate Democrats, talks aboutLegislates onSenate Democrats, legislates on
Government Operations and Politics43%22%8%9%
Armed Forces and National Security39%21%3%7%
Economics and Public Finance38%24%0%0%
Health32%27%13%14%
International Affairs31%12%16%8%
0.63

talk-to-bills agreement, 0 to 1

Senate Democrats average 0.66. Ranks 37th of 45.

What agreement means, and what it doesn’t

Agreement is 1 minus the distance between the two distributions (Jensen–Shannon): 1 means Murphy legislates on exactly the areas Murphy talks about, in the same proportions; 0 means no overlap. It does not say whether the bills match the positions in the statements, only the subjects. Bills Murphy sponsored count fully, cosponsored bills a quarter. Shown with at least 20 policy statements and 5 bills.

Back to topNext: Ideology

Ideology

Murphy sits at −1.10 on the CSIP scale, left of 0, more conservative than 59% of Senate Democrats. Approximate range −1.12 to −1.09, which understates the uncertainty; from 25,748 donors and 4,969 roll calls.

CSIP, the lab’s Common-Space Ideal Point, places every official, federal and state, on one left–right scale, estimated from roll-call votes, who gives money to whom, and the text of statements. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it; 0 is the centre of the scale, not a definition of “moderate”.

−1.10

CSIP ideal point

Approximate range −1.12 to −1.09. From 25,748 donors and 4,969 roll calls. Run 2026-10-25T215945. Blue is left of 0, red right of 0.

← More liberalMore conservative →0Murphy −1.1Senate Democrats −1.1All Senate +0.4

The outlined dot is Murphy, coloured by its side of 0 (blue left, red right, deeper further out); the bar through it is the approximate range (±1.96 standard errors), which understates the uncertainty; the grey ticks below are the medians of Murphy’s groups. 0 is the centre of the scale, not “moderate” by definition.

What this means, and what it doesn’t

The score summarises how an official votes, who funds them and how they talk, relative to everyone else. It does not grade positions as good or bad, and two officials with the same score can differ on any single issue. The ± range is 1.96 standard errors, which understates the uncertainty: scores whose ranges overlap may not differ at all, and even scores whose ranges do not overlap may not differ.

Where Murphy sits

Every official in each group, on the CSIP scale

−2.0−1.00.0+1.0+2.0← More liberalMore conservative →Senate Democratsmedian −1.1Murphy −1.1All Senatemedian +0.4
Show the data
Murphy's CSIP score of −1.10 placed against Senate Democrats, All Senate.
GroupOfficialsMedianShare left of Murphy
Senate Democrats45−1.158%
All Senate98+0.428%
How to read the strips

Every small dot is one official on the same scale, coloured by its own score (blue left of 0, red right of 0, grey at 0, deeper further out) and spread up and down only to keep dots apart; where a group is crowded the dots overlap, and darker patches mean more officials. The large outlined dot is Murphy in every row; the rule is each group’s median. The table under the figure gives the share of each group to the left of Murphy.

Back to topNext: Money

Money

Murphy raised $14.0M in the 2026 cycle, 5.3 times the Senate Democrats’ median of $2.6M. 66% of individual money came in gifts of $200 or less. 31% of itemized individual money came from Connecticut.

Campaign money from Federal Election Commission filings, as aggregates only; the lab never shows an individual donor. Campaigns must report by name every person who gives them more than $200 in a cycle (“itemized”); smaller gifts are reported only as one total (“unitemized”), so donor counts, donor states, employers and occupations describe itemized donors only.

Election cycle
$14.0M

raised in the 2026 cycle

From 9,694 itemized donors. Senate Democrats’ median $2.6M.

Where the money came from

Each square is one percent of 2026-cycle receipts, from FEC summary totals.

Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Itemized individual (over $200): $4.4M (31.0%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less): $8.3M (58.9%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds): $1.4M (10.0%)
  • Itemized individual (over $200)31 squares$4.4M
  • Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less)59 squares$8.3M
  • Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds)10 squares$1.4M
Show the data
Sources of Murphy's money, 2026 cycle, one square per percent
SourceAmountShare
Itemized individual (over $200)$4.4M31.0%
Unitemized individual (gifts of $200 or less)$8.3M58.9%
Remainder not broken out in the FEC summary (transfers, loans, refunds)$1.4M10.0%
What this means, and what it doesn’t

Totals say how much a campaign took in, not how it was spent, and they rise sharply when a seat is up for election; compare cycles with that in mind. The small-donor share understates small giving when a campaign itemizes gifts made through ActBlue or WinRed.

Receipts by cycle

Total receipts, 2020 to 2026. The grey line is the Senate Democrats’ median for 2026.

2020 cycle: $1.7M$1.7M20202022 cycle: $861.3K$861.3K20222024 cycle: $12.8M$12.8M20242026 cycle: $14.0M$14.0M2026Senate Democrats median $2.6M
Show the data
Murphy's receipts by cycle against the 2026 Senate Democrats median.
ItemValue
2020 cycle$1.7M
2022 cycle$861.3K
2024 cycle$12.8M
2026 cycle$14.0M

Top donor states, 2026

Itemized contributions by donor state. 31% came from Connecticut.

  1. Connecticut$1.2M
  2. California$488.9K
  3. New York$384.5K
  4. Massachusetts$206.5K
  5. Florida$142.7K

Small donations

Gifts of $200 or less as a share of individual money, by cycle. The thin grey bar is the 2026 Senate Democrats’ median.

0%60%
Murphy
Median
2026
66%
35%
2024
29%
35%
2022
33%
35%
2020
60%
35%
Show the data
Small-donor share by cycle against the Senate Democrats median
RowMurphyMedian
2026 cycle66%35%
2024 cycle29%35%
2022 cycle33%35%
2020 cycle60%35%

Where itemized donors live

Individuals who gave more than $200, by donor state

Alaska: $2,750AKMaine: $33.8KMEVermont: $24.9KVTNew Hampshire: $29.9KNHWashington: $77.1KWAIdaho: $4,064IDMontana: $3,830MTNorth Dakota: $300NDMinnesota: $25.8KMNIllinois: $100.4KILWisconsin: $20.5KWIMichigan: $47.3KMINew York: $384.5KNYRhode Island: $15.0KRIMassachusetts: $206.5KMAOregon: $40.5KORNevada: $6,960NVWyoming: $5,630WYSouth Dakota: $815SDIowa: $9,372IAIndiana: $14.9KINOhio: $26.0KOHPennsylvania: $88.3KPANew Jersey: $67.6KNJConnecticut: $1.2MCTCalifornia: $488.9KCAUtah: $9,146UTColorado: $60.5KCONebraska: $6,960NEMissouri: $22.9KMOKentucky: $6,891KYWest Virginia: $3,245WVVirginia: $87.1KVAMaryland: $86.4KMDDelaware: $4,869DEArizona: $37.2KAZNew Mexico: $25.7KNMKansas: $7,743KSArkansas: $2,902ARTennessee: $27.1KTNNorth Carolina: $54.9KNCSouth Carolina: $19.7KSCDistrict of Columbia: $59.8KDCOklahoma: $6,300OKLouisiana: $6,470LAMississippi: $5,095MSAlabama: $10.8KALGeorgia: $33.5KGAHawaii: $10.7KHITexas: $90.4KTXFlorida: $142.7KFL
Show the data
Murphy's itemized individual contributions by donor state, 2026 cycle
StateValue
Connecticut$1.2M
California$488.9K
New York$384.5K
Massachusetts$206.5K
Florida$142.7K
Illinois$100.4K
Texas$90.4K
Pennsylvania$88.3K
Virginia$87.1K
Maryland$86.4K
Washington$77.1K
New Jersey$67.6K
Colorado$60.5K
District of Columbia$59.8K
North Carolina$54.9K
Michigan$47.3K
Oregon$40.5K
Arizona$37.2K
Maine$33.8K
Georgia$33.5K
New Hampshire$29.9K
Tennessee$27.1K
Ohio$26.0K
Minnesota$25.8K
New Mexico$25.7K
Vermont$24.9K
Missouri$22.9K
Wisconsin$20.5K
South Carolina$19.7K
Rhode Island$15.0K
Indiana$14.9K
Alabama$10.8K
Hawaii$10.7K
Iowa$9,372
Utah$9,146
Kansas$7,743
Nevada$6,960
Nebraska$6,960
Kentucky$6,891
Louisiana$6,470
Oklahoma$6,300
Wyoming$5,630
Mississippi$5,095
Delaware$4,869
Idaho$4,064
Montana$3,830
West Virginia$3,245
Arkansas$2,902
Alaska$2,750
South Dakota$815
North Dakota$300
9,694

itemized donors

People who gave more than $200

31%

from Connecticut

Of itemized individual dollars

How to read the map

Every state the same size. Darker states gave more itemized money; hatched states had no itemized donors; the outlined state is Connecticut. Gifts of $200 or less carry no address and are left out.

Donors’ ideology

Distribution of itemized donors’ own CSIP scores

CSIP −1.75 to −1.50: 0.1%CSIP −1.50 to −1.25: 2.3%CSIP −1.25 to −1.00: 70%70%CSIP −1.00 to −0.75: 27%CSIP −0.75 to −0.50: 0.8%CSIP −0.50 to −0.25: 0.2%CSIP −0.25 to 0.00: 0.2%CSIP 0.00 to +0.25: 0.0%CSIP +0.25 to +0.50: 0.1%← More liberalMore conservative →0
Show the data
Ideology of Murphy's itemized donors in 2026, from −1.75 to +0.50: 70% between −1.25 and −1.00, 27% between −1.00 and −0.75.
ItemValue
CSIP −1.75 to −1.500.1%
CSIP −1.50 to −1.252.3%
CSIP −1.25 to −1.0070%
CSIP −1.00 to −0.7527%
CSIP −0.75 to −0.500.8%
CSIP −0.50 to −0.250.2%
CSIP −0.25 to 0.000.2%
CSIP 0.00 to +0.250.0%
CSIP +0.25 to +0.500.1%
How to read the columns

Donors who give to many candidates get their own CSIP score. Each column is the share of Murphy’s itemized money from donors in that part of the scale, blue left of 0 and red right of 0, deeper further out; Murphy’s own score is −1.10.

Top donor occupations

Itemized, 2026 cycle.

  1. NOT EMPLOYED$2.3M 6,028 donors
  2. RETIRED$97.3K 285 donors
  3. ATTORNEY$74.0K 175 donors
  4. PHYSICIAN$53.5K 150 donors
  5. LAWYER$48.8K 88 donors

Top committees

PAC and committee contributions, 2026 cycle.

  1. MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE$5,000
  2. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS INTERESTED IN REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION PAC$2,500

Top employers

Itemized, 2026 cycle.

  1. YALE UNIVERSITY$15.7K 24 donors
  2. WELLS FARGO$5,670 4 donors
  3. YALE$3,990 11 donors
  4. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT$3,785 3 donors
  5. NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY$3,665 4 donors

Aggregates only. Individual donors are never named.

Back to topNext: Votes

Votes

Murphy voted with the majority of Senate Democrats on 99.7% of party-line votes and missed 2.7% of 915 roll calls. Senate Democrats on average: 95.3% party unity, 97.0% attendance. Across all roll calls, Murphy voted against the majority of Senate Democrats 40 times.

915 roll calls Murphy could vote on in the 119th Congress, compared with Senate Democrats. Attendance is the share with a vote recorded. Party unity counts only party-line roll calls, where most Democrats and most Republicans voted on opposite sides, and is the share of those where Murphy voted with the majority of Senate Democrats. The count of votes against that majority covers every roll call where the majority took a side.

40

votes against the majority of Senate Democrats

Party unity 99.7%, Senate Democrats average 95.3%, ranks 6th of 45. 915 roll calls in the 119th Congress.

Attendance and party unity

The thick bar is Murphy, the thin grey bar the Senate Democrats average. The scale runs from 80% to 100% to show the gap.

80%100%
Murphy
Peers
Rank
Attendance
97.2%
97.0%
27th of 45
Party unity
99.7%
95.3%
6th of 45
Show the data
Murphy's attendance and party unity against Senate Democrats.
RowMurphyPeers
Attendance97.2%97.0%
Party unity99.7%95.3%
What this means, and what it doesn’t

A missed roll call has many causes, from illness to campaigning, so attendance says how often, not why. A vote against the majority can be on procedure as well as substance, and many fall on roll calls where both parties split; the key votes below show the ones that decided something.

Key votes

25 roll calls the lab flagged as key in the 119th Congress

Key votes
Party split (yea–nay)Why it’s key
Sep 28, 2026
S. 4668
A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student athletes and to promote fair competition among intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes.
On Passage of the Bill
NayAgainst majorityBill PassedD 26–19 · R 50–2 · I 1–1Democrats 26 yea, 19 nay; Republicans 50 yea, 2 nay; Independents 1 yea, 1 nayparty crossover
Sep 24, 2026
H.Con.Res. 89
A concurrent resolution directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.
On the Concurrent Resolution
YeaWith majorityConcurrent Resolution RejectedD 43–1 · R 4–49 · I 2–0Democrats 43 yea, 1 nay; Republicans 4 yea, 49 nay; Independents 2 yea, 0 nayclose vote
Aug 8, 2026
H.R. 6500
An act making continuing appropriations and extensions for fiscal year 2027, and for other purposes.
On Passage of the Bill
YeaWith majorityBill PassedD 42–3 · R 47–2 · I 1–1Democrats 42 yea, 3 nay; Republicans 47 yea, 2 nay; Independents 1 yea, 1 naybecame law
Aug 7, 2026
H.R. 5334
An act to impose sanctions and other measures with respect to the Russian Federation, as championed by the late Senator Lindsey O. Graham, and for other purposes.
On Passage of the Bill
YeaWith majorityBill PassedD 36–9 · R 49–1 · I 1–1Democrats 36 yea, 9 nay; Republicans 49 yea, 1 nay; Independents 1 yea, 1 naybecame law · party crossover
Jul 30, 2026
S.Res. 817
An executive resolution authorizing the en bloc consideration in Executive Session of certain nominations on the Executive Calendar.
On the Resolution
NayWith majorityResolution Agreed toD 0–45 · R 50–0 · I 0–2Democrats 0 yea, 45 nay; Republicans 50 yea, 0 nay; Independents 0 yea, 2 nayclose vote
How key votes are chosen

Automatically: a final-passage or override vote where the measure became law, the margin was under 10%, at least 10% of either party voted against its majority, or the bill was among the 25 most mentioned in officials’ own statements. Up to 25 per window, most recent first; five are shown. Bars show yea on the left, nay on the right, per party.

Votes most often with

The colleagues who voted the same way as Murphy most often

  1. Ed MarkeyD883 shared votes99%
  2. Chris Van HollenD876 shared votes98%
  3. Elizabeth WarrenD876 shared votes98%
  4. Jeff MerkleyD883 shared votes98%
  5. Bernie SandersI828 shared votes98%

Votes least often with

The colleagues who voted the same way as Murphy least often

  1. Marsha BlackburnR837 shared votes2.8%
  2. Bill HagertyR860 shared votes3.0%
  3. Bernie MorenoR885 shared votes3.0%
  4. Ted CruzR844 shared votes3.1%
  5. John CurtisR871 shared votes3.2%
How to read the agreement lists

The share of roll calls both members voted on where they voted the same way, among colleagues sharing at least 50 such votes. High agreement with members of the other party is common on routine votes.

Full voting record

119th Congress (2025–27), loads in batches

Back to topNext: Legislation

Legislation

Murphy sponsored 51 bills in the 119th Congress; none became law. Cosponsored 296 others. 5.9% of sponsored bills got out of committee (Senate Democrats average 14%; 39th of 45).

The bills Murphy sponsored and cosponsored in the 119th Congress, from the official bill records, and how far each got: introduced, referred to or acted on in committee, passed one chamber, passed both, became law. A bill counts at every stage it has reached, so the blocks only shrink to the right.

Bills by stage

Counts for the 119th Congress

Sponsored51 billsSponsored, Introduced: 5151Sponsored, In committee: 5151Sponsored, Passed one chamber: 00Sponsored, Passed both chambers: 00Sponsored, Became law: 00Cosponsored296 billsCosponsored, Introduced: 296296Cosponsored, In committee: 296296Cosponsored, Passed one chamber: 3838Cosponsored, Passed both chambers: 00Cosponsored, Became law: 00IntroducedIncommitteePassed onechamberPassed bothchambersBecamelaw
Show the data
Bills Murphy sponsored and cosponsored, by furthest stage reached
RoleIntroducedIn committeePassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law
Sponsored5151000
Cosponsored2962963800
How to read the blocks

Ink blocks are bills Murphy sponsored, ochre blocks bills Murphy cosponsored; the figure above each block is the count. Most bills in any legislature never leave committee, so a short staircase is the norm.

5.9%

of sponsored bills got out of committee

Senate Democrats average 14%. Ranks 39th of 45.

Cosponsorship partners

Colleagues who most often cosponsor with Murphy, by number of shared bills in the 119th Congress; the square shows their party.

  1. Richard Blumenthal120
  2. Cory Booker97
  3. Chris Van Hollen80
  4. Jeff Merkley79
  5. Ed Markey71
What this means, and what it doesn’t

The score is the share of sponsored bills that a committee reported out or a chamber passed, with at least 5 sponsored bills, ranked within the peer group. Members of the majority party and committee chairs move more bills, so the rank reflects position in the chamber as well as effort. Cosponsorship partners are the five colleagues who share the most of Murphy’s bills; the toggle shows more.

Bill list

Sponsored and cosponsored, with status and policy area; five are shown, the toggle shows the rest

Bills sponsored and cosponsored
S. 5614Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2026CosponsorSep 30, 2026In committeeEducationRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Sep 30, 2026
S.Res. 936A resolution designating October 8, 2026, as "National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day".CosponsorSep 30, 2026Passed one chamberEnergySubmitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5299; text: CR S5268) Sep 30, 2026
S.Res. 920A resolution expressing concern about the growing problem of book banning, and the proliferation of threats to freedom of expression in the United States.CosponsorSep 29, 2026In committeeUnassignedReferred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S5175-5176) Sep 29, 2026
S. 5570Ready to Work Act of 2026CosponsorSep 28, 2026In committeeLabor and EmploymentRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Sep 28, 2026
S.Res. 913A resolution relating to the death of the Honorable Nancy Kassebaum, former United States Senator for the State of Kansas.CosponsorSep 28, 2026Passed one chamberGovernment Operations and PoliticsSubmitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5064-5065; text: CR S5074-5075) Sep 28, 2026

Back to topNext: Online

Online

A site that changed 102 times in 90 days. Murphy’s official site had 45 pages when last crawled on Oct 18, 2026.

The lab crawls Murphy’s official and campaign websites (weekly for Congress, monthly for the states) and keeps every page’s text, so changes can be read later; it also records social accounts and describes the images Murphy posts with a vision model.

Websites

How to read the counts

“Pages crawled” is the size of the site at the last crawl; “changes in 90 days” counts pages whose text differed from the previous crawl. Sites change for many routine reasons, such as new press releases, so a high count is not by itself notable.

Images Murphy posted

No images from Murphy’s posts have been described.

About the descriptions

Written by a vision model and may be wrong. Open the post to see the original. Five are shown; the toggle shows the rest.

Back to topNext: Methods and sources

Methods and sources

How this page was made. Profile built Oct 28, 2026; site last built Oct 28, 2026. Every number on the page is computed from the sources listed here, by the same rules for every official; nothing is written by hand.

The headline

The headline is the measure on which Murphy is most unusual among Senate Democrats, chosen by one rule for every official of every party. The candidates are the rate of each kind of statement and of extreme labels, party unity, attendance, the small-donor share, the in-state share and total receipts of the latest cycle, the share of sponsored bills that got out of committee, talk-to-bills agreement, and the CSIP score’s place within the party group.

The builder ranks every measure within the same peer group the page compares it with, and writes each official’s percentile: the share of the group below the value, ties counting half, so 0.5 is the median and a value shared by many never ranks first. A measure’s score is how far that percentile sits from the median (0 in the middle, 0.5 at either end), and the highest score leads if it is above 0.25, outside the middle half of the group. Scores within 0.03 of each other are a tie, broken in this order: votes against the party majority, kinds of statement, ideology, roll calls missed, small donations, in-state money, legislation, agreement, extreme labels, receipts.

A measure counts only with at least 200 statements, 100 roll calls or 5 sponsored bills behind it and a peer group of at least 10. Two things never lead: high party unity or attendance, where most members sit, and a high rate of a kind of statement backed by fewer than 10 statements. When nothing qualifies, the headline is a neutral fact instead: statements classified, or years in office. The wording always names the direction (“in the bottom 5% of …”, “votes against the majority of …”).

Identifiers

Profile id
M001169
Bioguide
M001169
FEC candidate ids
H6CT05124, S2CT00132

Bulk files with the same data for every official:

Freshness of this profile’s data

  • What politicians sayOct 27, 20261 days agoMembers of Congress: tweets since 2017; press releases, newsletters and floor speeches since 2022. State legislators: tweets since May 2024. Governors: tweets since January 2025. Labels from an LLM classifier.
  • Roll calls (Congress)Sep 30, 202628 days agoVoteview roll calls, 113th Congress (2013) on.
  • Bills (Congress)Oct 22, 20266 days agoGovInfo BILLSTATUS: sponsors, cosponsors, actions, CRS policy area.
  • Campaign money (FEC)Oct 22, 20266 days agoFEC committee financial summaries (totals, small donations) and itemized contributions (donor counts, states, employers), cycles 2020-2026; aggregates only.
  • Ideology (CSIP)Oct 25, 20263 days agoCommon-Space Ideal Points (CSIP), current validated run.
  • WebsitesOct 25, 20263 days agoWeekly crawls of federal sites since April 2026; monthly state crawls since June 2026.
  • ImagesOct 27, 20261 days agoImages in members' tweets with vision-model descriptions.

How the measures work

What politicians say
Every post, press release, newsletter and congressional floor speech is read by a language model and marked for personal attacks, policy criticism, policy discussion, bipartisanship and credit claiming. A statement can be in several. Rates are shares of statements in the window. The methods paper.
Extreme labels
A statement has an extreme label when it calls a politician, party or policy “far left”, “far right”, “MAGA”, “extreme”, “radical”, “woke”, “fascist” or “communist”. The target is who the label is aimed at.
Policy areas and agreement
Statements and bills share 25 Congressional Research Service policy areas (state bills are assigned by a language model). Agreement is 1 − Jensen–Shannon distance between the two distributions, shown with at least 20 policy statements and 5 bills.
Ideology (CSIP)
Common-Space Ideal Points place federal and state officials on one left–right scale, estimated jointly from roll calls, campaign contributions and the text of statements, with standard errors. Only a validated run is shown. The methods paper.
Campaign money
Campaigns report by name only donors who give more than $200 in a cycle; smaller gifts are reported as one total. Federal totals and the small-donor share come from the FEC’s financial summaries of each campaign committee. Donor counts, donor states, employers and occupations cover itemized donors only. State filings report no small-gift totals, so state figures are itemized only. The lab never publishes donor names.
Votes and key votes
Attendance, party unity and the count of votes against the majority of an official’s own party come from roll calls (Voteview for Congress, chamber records for the states). Key votes are final-passage or override votes that became law, were decided by under 10%, saw at least 10% of a party vote against its majority, or concerned one of the 25 bills most mentioned in officials’ statements.
Peers and ranks
Comparisons are with the same party, chamber and level (for example House Democrats); state legislators are compared within their state and chamber for votes. Every comparison names its group. Rank 1 is the highest value in the group; tied values share the average of their ranks, and the percentile is the share of the group below the value, ties counting half.

America’s Political Pulse · Polarization Research Lab

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