Gov. Phil Murphy will leave New Jersey tomorrow for a family vacation to Italy and will return on August 11.
Lt. Governor Tahesha Way will serve as acting governor during his absence.
He will have some important matters on his plate while away: he will name an interim U.S. Senator to replace Bob Menendez, whose resignation is effective August 20. An announcement is unlikely before he returns on August 11.
Murphy has faced unexpected interruptions in his vacation schedule before. Last summer, he was at his home in Italy when Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver died. Two days later, he returned to New Jersey to pay his respects to the Oliver family, then went back to Italy, and then came back to New Jersey for Oliver’s funeral five days later.
His departure confirms what has already become clear: Murphy is not among a list of Democrats being considered by Kamala Harris for the vice presidency.
Among the leading potential Veep contenders being mentioned are North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. There is some speculation that retired Admiral William McRaven, the former chancellor of the University of Texas, is being considered.
Kelly and Shapiro have New Jersey ties. Kelly grew up in West Orange, and Shapiro began his political career as an aide to U.S. Senator Bob Torricelli.
Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti will remain as Murphy’s chief of staff while the governor is out of the country. Her replacement, Tim Hillmann, will start on August 12.