David J. Murray, a pugnacious and acerbic political consultant who combined elements of Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, and Mario Puzo to develop campaign strategies during a successful career in politics, died this morning. He was 71.
Murray managed Christine Todd Whitman’s campaign for governor in the 1993 Republican primary. He worked on scores of Republican campaigns, including Reps. Frank LoBiondo (R-Vineland) and Bill Martini (R-Clifton), and State Sens. Kevin O’Toole (R-Cedar Grove) and Bill Gormley (R-Margate)
He started as a reporter around 1975, working for the Daily Record in Morristown, and then became a staff assistant to U.S. Senator John Heinz, a Pennsylvania Republican.
While working on Capitol Hill, Murray became friends with Roger Bodman, the chief of staff to Rep. Jim Courter (R-Allamuchy). After Bodman was hired to serve as campaign manager for former Assembly Speaker Tom Kean’s campaign for governor in 1981, Murray returned to New Jersey to become Kean’s spokesman, and then political director.
Kean won the Republican primary with 30.8% of the vote in a crowded eight-candidate field. The general election was the closest in New Jersey history: Kean defeated Rep. Jim Florio (D-Runnemede) by 1,797 votes, 49.46% to 49.38%.
Murray joined the Republican State Committee, where he led a statewide effort to win Republican control of the New Jersey Legislature. At the time, Democrats had a 21-19 majority in the Senate and controlled the Assembly, 43-37. Though unsuccessful, Murray had Senate President Carmen Orechio nervous in a race against Bloomfield attorney Ralph Salerno.
Whitman won the Republican gubernatorial nomination by 28,178 votes, 40%-33%, against former Attorney General Cary Edwards. Former State Sen. James Wallwork (R-Short Hills) finished third with 24%, followed by two minor candidates.
After the 1993 GOP primary, Whitman replaced Murray with her brother, Dan, a former assemblyman who had moved to Montana to run a ranch. After Florio began to surge, Whitman demoted her brother and replaced him with Ed Rollins, a national strategist and former political advisor to Ronald Reagan. Murray remained as a consultant.
Funeral plans have not been announced.