New Jersey's first lady, Tammy Murphy, announced Sunday that she is withdrawing from the Democratic Senate primary, likely clearing the way for Democratic Congressman Andy Kim to win the nomination.
“After a hectic, exhilarating, and certainly difficult few months, I am suspending my Senate campaign today,” Murphy said in a video posted to social media.
“I've always been honest and factual,” she continued. “But it's clear to me that continuing this race would involve running a very divisive negative campaign, and I don't want to do that.”
“I made this decision because this campaign was never about me. And right now, the best thing we can do for New Jersey is come together and address the real issues at hand. I know it’s about focus,” she added.
Murphy did not endorse Kim in the three-minute video.
In a statement obtained by NBC News after Murphy's announcement, Kim called him “a voice for progress and public service for our state.”
“Tammy and I both agree that it's important to keep this seat and the Senate under Democratic control,” Kim added. “Unity is critical. As we continue to work to strengthen New Jersey's democracy, we will come together to stand up against the dangerous policies President Trump is pushing.”
Sources close to the Murphy campaign told NBC News that Murphy and his advisers have limited paths to victory in the June 4 Democratic primary. He also said that he made the decision after coming to the conclusion that there was no chance of winning. Her announcement came on the eve of the state's primary filing deadline.
But in a conversation Sunday with campaign staff, party leaders and supporters, Murphy said his campaign still has a path forward, according to people familiar with the conversations. He argued that he needed to spend a lot of money on fellow Democrats.
Murphy said such a divisive primary could hurt the party this year, and New Jersey is scheduled to hold an open gubernatorial election next year. Her husband cannot seek a new term due to term limits.
The first lady's campaign drew some criticism, with many dissatisfied with her husband, Gov. Phil Murphy's approach to promoting his wife's candidacy. This, coupled with Kim's decisive victories over Murphy in several county conventions this month, was a fatal blow to Kim's candidacy.
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said in a statement this week that he made a mistake in endorsing Murphy months ago.
“It's no secret that I'm disappointed in this campaign and the way it's run,” Fulop said. “It is clear that my early endorsement and support of Tammy Murphy as a senator was a mistake.”
Both Mr. Murphy and Mr. Kim began their Senate campaigns in the fall to replace Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who along with his wife faces federal charges for obstruction of justice and bribery.
The first indictment was announced in September, and additional charges have since been filed, bringing the total to 18. Both men deny wrongdoing.
Menendez has not officially announced whether he will run for re-election, but has hinted that he will run as an independent, saying, “I am hopeful that I will be acquitted this summer and that I will be able to pursue my candidacy as an independent Democrat.'' “I am doing so,” he said. election. ”
The race has been consumed by New Jersey's unique voting system known as “county lines,” where candidates backed by county parties are given an advantage on the ballot. Critics say it gives a small number of county party chairmen significant power over primaries, especially in counties where support rests solely with the chair.
Mr. Kim had won intra-county lines in several counties whose support was decided by convention counties, but Mr. Murphy had the support of many influential county party chairs. That would have given Murphy preferential voting rights in some of the counties with the highest percentages of registered Democrats.
Mr. Kim subsequently filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to eliminate county lines, and testified as a witness last week.
“The whole point of democracy is to give people choices and allow them to make decisions,” Kim said on the stand Monday. If there's an element…I think so.” It goes against what I believe is the democratic pursuit of fairness and equality. ”
Murphy, on the other hand, was dissatisfied with the way the process was controlling the race.
“We're all playing by the same rules. So if the rules can be improved and reformed to make things better, I'm all for it,” Murphy said last Sunday.
“But in my opinion, it ends here,” Murphy added. “I'm trying to support affordability. I'm trying to support reproductive freedom. I'm trying to support gun safety and climate change. And that's something people really think about every day. So I'm tired of hearing about that process.”
Kim did not directly address the lawsuit in Sunday's statement, but Anthony DeAngelo, a senior adviser to Kim, said in a statement to NBC News that New Jersey should place greater emphasis on a fair office block voting system. Mr. Kim strongly believes that.”
“The status of our injunction remains in the hands of the judge, and we stand ready to strongly advocate for the changes that lawmakers and many others have requested,” DeAngelo later said. added.
Whoever wins the Democratic nomination will likely be elected to the Senate in November, with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, along with Amy Walter, labeling the race as “likely Democratic.'' ”
