Delaware Gov. John Carney is a Democratic, term-limited governor, but he’s decided to stay in public service and pursue a job slightly lower on the ladder: the mayoralty of Wilmington.
Gov. Phil Murphy, facing similar circumstances, said Monday that he won’t pursue a spot on the township committee of Middletown, where he lives with First Lady Tammy Murphy. The governor told reporters Monday afternoon that at the moment he’s also ruled out pursuing other public offices.
“I could say, definitively, I have ruled out running for Middletown Township,” the governor said.
Unfortunately for Murphy, he didn’t win Middletown in either of his gubernatorial campaigns. He garnered about 38% of the vote in his 2017 run and about 35% in 2021.
Murphy also disavowed comments made at former President Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally Sunday night, including an insult comedian Tony Hinchcliffe hurled at Puerto Rico, which he called “an island of garbage.”
“You look at what was said about Puerto Rico yesterday, not by President Trump, but by somebody who he clearly condoned,” Murphy told reporters. “That’s utter rubbish and so offensive. Enough already. Let’s stop trying to divide us, which they’re doing.”
Murphy, though, stopped short of calling Trump a fascist, which Vice President Kamala Harris called the former president last week after his former chief of staff labeled Trump a fascist.
“I’m not sure I’m into the label stuff, but I was the U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, and I know the history all too well.”