Sunday, January 24, 2016 6:36 pm

Brenda Murphy, Michael Murphy and Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. Mr. Murphy is running for the 1st District KY House seat.

Former McCracken County Attorney, Michael R. Murphy of Paducah, filed papers Thursday with the Kentucky Secretary of State to run for State Representative, District #1 in the forthcoming Democratic primary.

District #1 covers Fulton, Hickman, Carlisle, Ballard and a portion of McCracken County. The District is currently represented by Republican Steven Rudy who has held the seat since 2005. Rudy lives in West Paducah. Rudy is part owner of Rudy Farm Center.

Murphy is a retired attorney and lives with his wife Brenda in the Lone Oak area of McCracken County. During his 35 year career, Mr. Murphy ran the child support enforcement office as the Friend of the Court for 16 years and prosecuted crime in the County Attorney's Office for 12 years.

Murphy says "the campaign will focus on jobs creation, providing quality affordable education for our children and giving strong leadership that puts the needs of working families over those of special interests."

Murphy, an Air Force veteran with service in Southeast Asia, says he is also interested in veteran affairs and making improvements in what he called a "dysfunctional mental health care system."