Michael Murphy
Ward 6 Councilmember — Democratic Primary, June 16, 2026
Not in DC Fair Elections ProgramMichael "Mike" Murphy is a litigator at Bailey & Glasser LLP with a track record in class-action lawsuits against major corporations and pro bono work, including representing Two Rivers Public Charter School. A second-career attorney who graduated cum laude from The Catholic University of America law school, he previously supported national bargaining committees for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and worked as a paralegal in the DC Office of the Corporation Counsel. He served as interim Executive Director of the Drum Major Institute, a nonprofit founded on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s principles. A Capitol Hill resident married for nearly 30 years with two children, he enjoys bouldering, biking, and hosting living-room concerts. Murphy entered the race centering public safety and government transparency. He led a months-long investigation alleging discrepancies between DC and FBI crime reporting and was the first to publicly claim, in June 2025, that MPD was manipulating violent-crime statistics — pressing the Council to conduct oversight it had avoided. He argues the city has given residents a dishonest picture of its safety challenges and that trust cannot be rebuilt without transparency. His platform calls for honest crime data aligned with FBI reporting, rebuilding an MPD at a 50-year staffing low while holding leadership accountable, and youth accountability paired with opportunity — including overhauling the Youth Rehabilitation Act, fixing truancy systems, and creating a DC Service & Career Corps modeled on Maryland programs. He proposes a "120-day shot clock" for office-to-residential conversions and faster permitting to unlock housing supply, a two-track compensation model on Initiative 82, and fully funding the open primaries and ranked-choice voting that voters approved in Initiative 83, along with term limits. He has been endorsed by former Ward 6 ANC commissioner and victims' rights advocate Denise Rucker Krepp.
Endorsements (1)
Elected/Appointed Officials
- Denise Rucker Krepp, former Ward 6 ANC commissioner and victims' rights advocate
Positions on the issues
All positions are sourced directly from the candidate's campaign materials, official questionnaire responses, or verified news coverage. Stances are rated on a scale from Strongly opposes (−2) to Strongly supports (+2). A stance of Unknown means no public position has been found.
Hiring significantly more MPD officers is a priority for reducing crime in DC.
Calls MPD's staffing a 50-year low and supports rebuilding the force while holding leadership accountable for efficient, community-centered deployment. The 51st reports he wants more police officers, pairing increased staffing with demands for honest crime data and oversight.
Sources: [Michael Murphy for Ward 6 — Campaign Website], [Your guide to the June 16 DC primary — The 51st]
Any youth curfew must be paired with substantial investment in alternative programming — jobs, recreation centers, mental health services — for young people.
Proposes a DC Service & Career Corps with youth apprenticeships and a paid service-year option, a unified truancy early-warning system, and mentorship through partners like Urban Alliance. Frames opportunity and structure — 'mentorship, not just enforcement' — as central to reducing youth crime.
DC should treat violence as a public health problem, investing heavily in violence interruption programs and community-based solutions.
Supports prevention-oriented tools — mentorship, workforce pathways, and support services for families — as a way to bring crime down, while pairing them with stronger consequences for violent offenses and rebuilding MPD. His emphasis blends opportunity-based intervention with accountability rather than a primarily public-health framework.
DC should legalize apartments and 'missing-middle' housing (duplexes, triplexes, and small multifamily buildings) citywide by removing single-family-only zoning restrictions.
Calls for 'smart density' — unlocking underutilized land along Metro lines, modernizing alley and parking rules to allow more ADUs, and expanding upzoning where community impact is minimal. Supports a 120-day 'shot clock' for office-to-residential conversions and faster permitting to make 'missing middle' housing financially viable.
DC should significantly increase the Housing Production Trust Fund.
Argues new high-end construction does not filter down to low-income families fast enough, so the market 'will not naturally serve our most vulnerable neighbors.' Advocates robust public investment in housing vouchers and subsidies targeted at extremely low-income residents — supportive of public affordable-housing financing, though he does not name the Housing Production Trust Fund specifically.
DC should build more protected bike lanes and dedicated bus lanes.
Would create more reliable bus routes, develop safer pedestrian corridors, and increase protected bike lanes 'where appropriate,' alongside smarter curb management. Frames mobility as a public-safety and equity issue, with qualified rather than maximal support for bike and bus infrastructure.
DC should cut taxes and fees on small and local businesses — and offer relief such as the small retailer property tax credit — to help them open, survive, and grow.
Argues simple tasks like applying for a business license are stymied by outdated bureaucracy and calls for 'simple solutions to simple problems' to encourage neighbors to invest in the community. His emphasis is on cutting red tape and barriers to opening a business rather than specific tax cuts.
DC should increase funding for the Department of Parks and Recreation, including extended rec center hours and expanded youth and senior programming.
Says visiting a local rec center should be simple and supports youth recreation facilities as part of his RFK redevelopment vision and his youth-opportunity agenda. Broadly supportive of recreation access, though his materials do not lay out a specific DPR funding increase.
DC should respond to Trump administration interference in city governance with an assertive, public stance — filing lawsuits, passing protective legislation, and refusing to comply with unlawful federal directives — rather than quiet diplomacy or pragmatic deal-making.
Emphasizes the credibility and bipartisan relationships needed to negotiate with members across the ideological spectrum in Congress, and faults Allen for crafting legislation that drew congressional disapproval votes. Leans toward pragmatic engagement and deal-making to protect Home Rule rather than a primarily confrontational, litigation-and-resistance posture.
DC should strengthen worker protections — expanding paid family and medical leave and raising the minimum wage — even if it raises costs for employers.
Murphy backs a single, universal minimum wage for restaurant workers — a guaranteed wage floor with tips on top — aligning with the One Fair Wage / Initiative 82 direction of eliminating the tipped subminimum wage. Supportive of stronger wage protections, framed around stability for workers and businesses.
General sources
- Michael Murphy for Ward 6 — Campaign Website — Michael Murphy Campaign. Accessed 2026-06-01.
- Your guide to the June 16 DC primary — The 51st — The 51st. Accessed 2026-06-01.