After emerging on the political scene from virtually nowhere, Richard Murphy, a down-to-earth, 61-year-old trucker and Vietnam vet from Green Valley Ranch in northeast Denver, is jockeying to be the Republican anti-war candidate against veteran politician Diana DeGette in CD1.

DeGette has served 17 years in Congress and won election eight times. After redistricting, South Jeffco is now in the newly reconfigured 1st Congressional District, with the Democrat DeGette the incumbent. It was previously in the 6th, with incumbent Republican Mike Coffman.