In a one-on-one interview, Gov. Phil Murphy lamented losing fellow Democrat Tom Malinowski as a New Jersey representative in Washington D.C., but he stopped short of agreeing that the congressman was hung out to dry by the Democratic Party.
“He’s been a great congressman,” Murphy said of Malinowski. “This is a tough year to run. We had a lot of close races, not just in New Jersey, but nationally as well. And I will just say we have not heard the last of Tom Malinowski, I guarantee you that. He is an outstanding public servant and he’s got great days still ahead of him and I hope in service of New Jersey in some way, shape or form.”
On the outcome nationwide, Murphy said, “Around the country you did not see the red wave that folks were talking about … Democrats particularly at the end got a lot better at telling our story, particularly on the economy and affordability and opportunity.” In addition, he said, “Both reproductive freedom and abortion on the one hand, and the threat to democracy on the other hand, finally rose up the list of concerns.” And, “I’d say, lastly, we had better candidates plain and simple.”
