New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy is expected to announce her candidacy for the 2024 Senate primary.
With Bob Menendez facing yet another scandal—this time the disgraced Senator and his wife, Nadine face federal bribery-related charges that surfaced in late September—Tammy Murphy sees an opportunity to fill the seat.
This, of course, doesn’t come without controversy of its own, with some New Jerseyans—namely critics of Phil Murphy—stating that her efforts to run are shrouded in nepotism.
Since Menendez’s downfall, Tammy Murphy has not kept secret of her plans to run for Senate. She began interviewing campaign managerial candidates, prospective staffers, Democratic donors and other Party leaders in October.
As of now, the First Lady will have a primary opponent in Andy Kim (D-Moorestown), who has served as a congressman for three terms and formerly sat on Barack Obama’s White House staff. Kim is well-liked among constituents and could prove to be a tough opponent for Murphy.
Additionally, there are two other prospective candidates—People’s Organization for Progress founder, Lawrence Hamm, and Kyle Jasey, a prominent real estate investor.
First Lady Murphy currently serves as the chair of NJ/NY Gotham FC—a professional women’s soccer club. She is also vocally pro-choice and is no newcomer to electoral politics—serving as Governor Murphy’s finance chair and building a track record as an extremely competent political fundraiser at both the state and national levels.
If elected, Murphy would be New Jersey’s first female senator and the first-ever spouse of a governor to be elected to the US Senate.
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About the Author/s
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
