TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is under fire from all sides after his wife Tammy announced she was running for U.S. Senate last week. Rumors of political deal-making and backroom agreements abound as the influential governor was accused of clearing the field, and a path for his wife to become the Democrat party’s nominee for U.S. Senate in 2024.
Murphy is running against indicted U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and farl-left New Jersey Congressman Andy Kim.
“I’m not making any deals, number 1,” Murphy said at a press conference in New Brunswick. “Number 2, I think that’s flat wrong. She’s gonna earn this on her own back and not on my back. I’ll be there right by her side as she’s been on my side. But she’s on her own two feet and she’s gonna earn this thing and she’s gonna go all over this state. You will not see any candidate in the history of any office statewide who’s worked as hard as she’s gonna work.”
The questions came after Tammy Murphy secured endorsements of two Democrat party county organizations in Bergen and Middlesex, Camden, and Hudson Counties.
Last week, Governor Murphy faced criticism after the state launched a $100,000 advertising campaign featuring the First Lady. Critics in the GOP claimed the governor was using taxpayer funds to promote the image of his wife while she is running for U.S. Senate.
The news of endorsements for Murphy does not bode well for Andy Kim, who was the first to announce in the race last month after Menendez was indicted.