Three act to run for Congress in 2018 to unseat Murphy

We have a lot more work to do.” (The repeal effort later died in the Senate.) He has maintained a similar distance from Mr. Trump, rarely either boosting or denouncingthe White House.

Mike DeVanney, a Murphy campaign spokesman, said “Congressman Murphy does what’s best for the 18th Congressional District. If that means standing up for energy jobs, and the president is supportive, he’s there.” But “he’s worked across the aisle to solve problems” — particularly onmental health issues.

As for the town hall concerns, Mr. DeVanney said, Mr. Murphy is “one of the most accessible members of Congress. He’s everywhere — from community events to fish fries.”

While they share their assessment of Mr. Murphy’s performance, Mr. Solomon and Ms. Iovino disagree on how to beat him.

Ms. Iovino describes herself as “a moderate Democrat,” particularly on fiscal issues, and served as a local surrogate for 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. (If Ms. Iovino wins in 2018, she could be the only woman in Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, although she said she isn’t foregrounding that concern.) She cites her first-hand experience with Washington.

“I’m ready to walk into Congress right now,” she said.

Mr. Solomon, meanwhile, calls himself “an ardent supporter of Bernie Sanders,” the Independent Vermont senator who challenged Ms. Clintonfrom the left.

“To flip this district will take a huge enthusiasm edge, and you get that by firing up young activist Democrats,” Mr. Solomon said, adding that a challenger also “has to be someone who really knows health care policy because it will be front and center” in 2018.

Toppling Mr. Murphy, an eight-term incumbent whose campaign had over $1.4 million on hand by midyear, will not be easy. So far, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which aids House candidates, has not included the 18th in its list of targeted districts. Observers say that makes sense, given that Mr. Trump carried the district by double digits last year.

“To tip this district you need a confluence of two or more factors: a wave election, an incumbent who is wounded by big problems, and some quality candidates,” said Chris Borick, a pollster at Muhlenberg College.

He said that at least for now, Democrats were smart to focus on races outside of Philadelphia.

Privately, Democrats confirm much of that analysis, though they say the map of targeted races could expand quickly given Mr. Trump’s unpopularity.

Mr. Solomon said he has not spoken with the DCCC, but Ms. Iovino said it had “offered support in many ways.”