In the Q&A below Following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy warned that he would “fight to the death” against the administration if it discovered behavior “that goes against our values.”
”[A]We value a peaceful transition of power, and if there is an attack on the Garden State or its communities from Washington, I will fight back with all my heart,” Murphy said.
“If there is an opportunity to reach common ground, we will seize it before anyone else,” he added in return.
State House Minority Leader John DiMaio, R-Hackettstown, told Fox News Digital that Murphy is “missing the message” that voters sent with his initial rhetoric on Tuesday.
“It is time for the governor to recognize that his values may not reflect the values of New Jerseyans as broadly as he assumes.”
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New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy meets with President Trump. (Getty/File)
“Mr. Murphy is willing to devote resources to a political fight against Mr. Trump, but this will benefit struggling families, working taxpayers, and business owners who want to focus more on their own needs,” DiMaio said. “I don't know how that aligns with our priorities.”
Murphy, who will be in Trenton for the final year of Trump's presidency, said that with Republicans so close to capturing the proverbial blue fort, Trump has no choice but to “do things even if it's in his own interest.” “He has an uncanny ability to connect with people, even if he doesn't.”
Murphy declined a reporter's question about whether New Jersey would play in the future, but commented that Trump lost only 4% compared to 16% in 2020.
“I don't think we're a battleground state,” he said, adding that he was satisfied with the results of the no vote, except for the victory of Rep. Tom Keene Jr. along Route 22. Keene is a Republican.
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He pointed to the Republicans' success in messaging on the immigration crisis, adding a warning that the party's triumphant rhetoric may not match the facts on the ground.
Trump won in Passaic County, a racially diverse suburb of New York City, but the down-ballot race was skewed toward Democrats. Murphy pointed to this as an example of voters choosing Trump personally rather than the Republican Party as a whole.
He suggested the same was true in North Carolina, noting that although Trump won the state, Democratic Attorney General Joshua Stein was elected governor.
“Just as it is our responsibility to continue to confront all threats to our nation and our people, it is also our responsibility to take advantage of every opportunity presented to us to cooperate.” [Trump] It's the job of responsible leaders to protect and uplift the people of our state,” Murphy added.
He also praised President Trump for quickly approving the new Portal North Railroad Bridge in Secaucus and supporting it during the coronavirus pandemic.
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View of the entrance to Trump National Golf Club (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Regarding his response to the Trump administration, Murphy said that during the previous administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) responded creatively to reports that it was conducting raids to find illegal immigrants.
“There was a time when ICE would randomly show up on street corners and arrest our brothers and sisters in the immigrant community,” Murphy said.
The governor, who lives in Middletown Township near Sandy Hook, said he has heard that “neighborhoods near where I live are at risk.”
“We went there together one night.” [security] I was just hanging out there, going through the details,” he said, noting that ICE never showed up after that.
“I don't know if that scared them or not, but this is an example of a small step where we're willing to try anything that goes against our values.”
Murphy's 3-point victory in 2021 may have been a “canary in the coal mine” for Democrats in the state as they assess the political landscape as the 2025 gubernatorial race to decide who will replace Murphy intensifies. said.
