Murphy Grim after the Democratic Election Day evisceration

NEWARK – Phil Murphy was dejected but defiant Wednesday afternoon as he tried to make sense of this week’s election.

He began by saying that “free and fair elections” were a hallmark of democracy, but his speech in that city’s state office was more than a mere tribute to American democracy.

He was also ready to fight.

“If there is an attack from Washington on the Garden State or any of its communities, I will defend myself with every fiber of my being.”

That sounded a bit cryptic, even strange. Is he expecting a military invasion?

When asked to explain, the governor said it would be reasonable to assume that some type of federal action would attempt to weaken New Jersey’s abortion rights and gun control laws.

Then there’s Donald Trump’s mass deportation threat, which caused the governor to ponder whether he really plans to detain immigrants.

If so, Murphy said, the state will use every power at its disposal to stand by the immigrant community.

At the same time, Murphy said that when Trump became governor, he was president and the men worked together during the COVID crisis and when Trump gave federal approval to build a new portal bridge on a rail line to Manhattan. So this can happen again.

As for the election itself, Murphy acknowledged that the Democrats’ margin of victory was much narrower than in 2020. He called the whole episode a sobering experience.

Kamala Harris won New Jersey by about five points; Joe Biden won by three times that margin.

He praised Republicans for playing their cards well, saying their talk about crime, immigration and a poor economy resonated despite evidence to the contrary.

For example, various studies show that New Jersey’s violent crime rate is one of the lowest in the country.

The governor also acknowledged Democrats’ problem with Hispanics, who once provided a reliable base. He said part of it is a simple message, but the party also needs to reevaluate how it meets the needs of the Hispanic community.

And as for Democrats’ loss of power in New Jersey, Murphy admitted:

“Our race (in 2021) may have been the canary in the coal mine.”

At that time, Murphy only beat Republican Jack Ciattarelli by about three points.

It was a pretty frank admission, but how far does it go?

In a way, every election is its own story.

A year after the 2021 election, Democrats across the country performed much better than expected in the midterm elections. And last year, Democrats won six seats in the state legislature, turning back a supposedly strong Republican challenge. Maybe this canary was wrong.

That brings us to this year and the power of Trump, which is at the top of the list.

Murphy said:

“He has an uncanny ability to connect with people – even when it’s not in their best interest.”

The governor was also asked about race and gender issues. He responded that he didn’t believe that was the case in a state as diverse as New Jersey.

But Murphy said that may have been the case on a national level, “which sucks.”

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