The day before Florida’s Friday filing deadline, business professor Stephanie Murphy announced she’s challenging Rep. John Mica.  

Mica’s 7th District has been a desirable target for Democrats, but up until now, they haven’t had a candidate to take on the 12-term Republican since Democrat Bill Phillips suspended his campaign in April.   

A Presidential Management Fellowship brought Murphy, a former consultant, to the Defense Department after 9/11 where she worked as a national security specialist.  

She moved back to Florida in 2008, where she’s now a business professor at Rollins College. She lives in Winter Park.   

“My life’s story is a testament to the American Dream and what can happen when hard work is combined with opportunity. My family and I were Vietnamese refugees, and my parents worked multiple jobs to provide for our family,” Murphy said in a statement announcing her candidacy.   

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Mica won re-election in 2014 by more than 30 points, but Democrats are interested in this recently redrawn seat, which Mitt Romney carried by 3 points under the old lines in 2012. The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call rates the seat Favored Republican .   

Mica ended the first quarter of this year with $640,000 .