Murphy has campaigned as a solid progressive, with a record to show for it. No Democrat has won reelection as governor in New Jersey since Brendan Byrne in 1977, and the party opposite the president's has won the New Jersey governorship going back to 1985. While a Ciattarelli win would send a jolt of surprise through state and national politics, a win by Murphy would also break some historical trends. At Ciattarelli's camp in Bridgewater, the crowd is breaking out into periodic cheers, and Ciattarelli's running mate, former state senator Diane Allen, told the crowd to “stick around.”
But the Republican has far surpassed his predecessor four years ago in fundraising and has seen the gap in public polls move in his favor - if only by a few points.Īt Murphy's election night party in Asbury Park's convention hall, the crowd went from cheering early results reported on TV to milling around the cavernous venue and checking their phones. Murphy has been leading in the polls, has a 1 million-voter registration advantage and had more cash in his campaign coffers than Ciattarelli in the final days of the race. But returns showed Ciattarelli with a slight lead over the first-term incumbent on a night that imparted some bad omens for Democrats.Ĭounties that historically trend Democratic were yet to report full results. The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the race, and it was too early to call it. Phil Murphy appeared to be in a close fight Tuesday with Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli as he waged a reelection campaign centered on the progressive policies he's enacted in his first term.
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