Murphy will attend Biden inaugural

Gov. Phil Murphy will attend Joe Biden’s inauguration in Washington on Wednesday, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

This marks a rare out of state trip for Murphy, who has remained largely glued to New Jersey since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Murphy will leave for Washington later today and will return on Wednesday.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver will serve as acting governor while Murphy is in Washington.

While Murphy has said he found some “common ground” with outgoing President Donald Trump on some issues, he has been watching a countdown clock for Biden to assume the presidency.

“I am very optimistic that a new day will dawn much more consistently, where it’s state and local funding to allow us to keep our front-line workers employed, delivering the services that they do in our hour of need,” Murphy said during an appearance on the New Jersey Globe Power Hour on 77 WABC on Saturday. “Whether its the Gateway Tunnel Project, not just the Portal North Bridge, but the building two new tunnels under the Hudson, I am very optimistic that we will have a much more consistent national response and federal partnership.”

New Jersey Governors typically attend presidential inaugurations

Gov. Chris Christie attended Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, and Gov. Jon Corzine was there in January 2009 when Barack Obama took his oath of office.

In January 2001, Gov. Christine Todd Whitman attended President George W. Bush’s inaugural.  At the time, she was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator-designate and was awaiting Senate confirmation.