Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday morning that he hasn’t ruled out making an endorsement in next year’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, but isn’t ready to do it now.
The governor said there’s a lot of “good talent” in New Jersey’s Democratic Party but is right now focused on this year’s elections. Murphy shared his thoughts after a labor breakfast in Collingswood, where Steve Sweeney, a former Senate president and gubernatorial candidate, also spoke.
“Not sure I’ve ruled it out, but we’re not going to do anything, at least for the foreseeable future,” Murphy said. “This is a crowded field.”
In addition to Sweeney, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller have declared gubernatorial campaigns. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) are also considering runs, but remain focused on their reelection campaigns for this November.
The governor’s race continues to command more attention this year than races on the ballot in November. The government manager’s union endorsed Sweeney for governor earlier this week, a rare endorsement for a typically apolitical union.
Former State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, a former Democratic state chairman, endorsed Spiller. An independent group supporting Spiller also launched a cable TV ad buy that will last through Nov. 15, the first television campaign of the nascent governor’s race.