📰 The Mayor Who Failed Us — Now Wants the County

BJ Murphy’s record in Kinston shows why voters shouldn’t trust him as commissioner

BJ Murphy was watching the 2025 election like a hawk, throwing out punch lines about not raising taxes to attract people’s vulnerability. Don’t be fooled — slogans don’t erase a failed track record.

Downtown Was His Only Concern

As mayor of Kinston from 2009 to 2017, Murphy poured nearly all of his energy into downtown. Restaurants, breweries, and polished sidewalks became the showcase. Meanwhile, Black communities across the city declined. Poverty deepened, crime rose, and neighborhoods were left behind.

“Leadership means balance — and Murphy’s focus was anything but balanced.”

Civic Decline Under His Watch

Between 2013 and 2017, Kinston didn’t grow stronger — it grew weaker. Population continued to shrink. Voter turnout collapsed, dropping nearly 40% compared to earlier decades. Murphy himself admitted civic participation was falling apart, but he never found a way to fix it.

Shutting Down Urban Spaces

Murphy fought hard to shut down The Platinum — the old Paramount — one of the city’s only urban clubs and a space that mattered deeply to the community. Its closure erased a cultural hub for Black residents. And now, his close ally Steven Hill owns it. To many, that looks less like coincidence and more like insiders winning while everyday people lose.

Failing Communities in Crisis

When Hurricane Matthew hit in 2016, Kinston needed urgent leadership. Recovery dragged, and neighborhoods outside of downtown were left waiting. Murphy’s administration didn’t rise to the moment.

The People Spoke in 2017

By 2017, voters had seen enough. Murphy lost reelection to Don Hardy, a newcomer. That upset wasn’t random — it was the city saying loud and clear: “Your leadership failed us.”

Not to Mention…

Since leaving the mayor’s seat, Murphy now runs Neuse News. And let’s be honest: the coverage promotes division. Too often, it only shows Black faces when they are criminally charged, giving off the unmistakable vibes of racism. That kind of platform doesn’t build community — it tears it down.

Why the County Doesn’t Need Him

Now Murphy wants to bring that same “expertise” to the county. But the truth is simple: the city nor the county need leadership that already failed. We need commissioners who understand equity, who lift every community, not just the ones that fit a certain image.

📊 Sidebar: By the Numbers — Kinston 2013–2017

• Population Decline: Kinston’s population continued to shrink, losing hundreds of residents each year.

• Voter Turnout: Participation in mayoral elections dropped nearly 40% compared to the late 1990s.

• Economic Struggles: Poverty rates remained among the highest in North Carolina, with little improvement.

• Community Division: Downtown investment surged, while Black neighborhoods saw increased disinvestment and crime.

• Election Outcome: In 2017, Murphy lost reelection to Don Hardy — a clear rejection of his leadership.

  
  

⚡ Final Word

BJ Murphy’s time as mayor left Kinston weaker, divided, and overlooked. His promises today are recycled slogans meant to distract from a record of failure. The county cannot afford to gamble on leadership that has already proven it cannot deliver.

“We don’t need another salesman — we need a leader.”

🗳️ Call to Action

We haven’t even closed out the 2025 election, yet BJ Murphy is already positioning himself for 2026. That alone should tell us how calculated his moves are. Now is the time to get busy as a community. We must organize, speak out, and make sure he is not the people’s choice in 2026. Our future depends on leaders who build equity, not those who recycle failure.

Written ans inspired by: Quarla Blackwell