(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Hudson County Democrats endorse Tammy Murphy (Updated) [1] ['David Wildstein'] Date: 2023-11-15 17:17:51+00:00 In a stunning but expected blow to U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, the entire Hudson County Democratic organization today endorsed Tammy Murphy for U.S. Senate. That means Menendez, a former Hudson County Democratic chairman and an officeholder for the last 40 years, will need to run off-the-line in his home county if he decides to remain in the race. Among the high-profile officials who endorsed Murphy: Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Union City Mayor and State Sen. Brian P. Stack, North Bergen Mayor and State Sen. Nicholas Sacco, and Hudson County Executive-elect Craig Guy. West New York Mayor Albio Sires, Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, and Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner are also on the endorsement list, along with State Sens.-elect Raj Mukherji (D-Jersey City) and Angela McKnight (D-Jersey City), all six members of next year’s Hudson County delegation to the State Assembly, and the mayors of East Newark, Guttenberg, Harrison, and Secaucus. “From her strong record of advocating for progressive policy initiatives like protecting women and children’s health, to her incredible success raising millions of dollars for families in desperate need during the pandemic, to her business background and her long political record as a renowned Democratic fundraiser, it’s clear that Tammy Murphy is a uniquely qualified candidate for the U.S. Senate,” said Anthony Vainieri, the county chairman. “The Hudson County Democratic Organization is honored to give Tammy Murphy our full, unequivocal support. We look forward to working closely with Tammy and her team to reintroduce her to Hudson County voters and help her become the first woman to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate.” But not on the list of Murphy supporters are two people who might be running against each other next year: Rep. Robert J. Menendez (D-Jersey City) and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla. Menendez is the son of the indicted U.S. Senator, and Bhalla has formed an exploratory committee to challenge the freshman congressman in next year’s Democratic primary. Bhalla issued a statement praising Murphy but stopping short of an endorsement. “As New Jersey’s First Lady, Tammy Murphy has made a significant positive contribution to New Jersey, working to curb climate change and to put in place a comprehensive approach to improving maternal health and reducing infant mortality, among other important initiatives,” Bhalla said “Tammy will add value as she emerges as a candidate in her own right.” It’s not clear whether Rob Menendez will be forced to endorse Murphy over his father, if he runs; such a loyalty test – the support of the entire organization line from top to bottom – has long been a key requirement in Hudson. Bob Menendez lashed out at Phil and Tammy Murphy and Hudson Democratic leaders after the county organization he once ran with an iron fist has endorsed another candidate for his seat. “The Hudson County Democratic Organization’s decision today to endorse Tammy Murphy only proves why Phil Murphy rushed to call for my resignation. It was a politically motivated power move in an effort to hand his wife a Senate seat,” he said. “To those who’ve caved into the political pressure, the people of New Jersey deserve better than an out of touch, life-long Republican millionaire who will never understand their lived experiences or fight for their communities if she is elected.” Menendez added, “Unlike Tammy Murphy, I don’t have to be introduced to the people of Hudson County as I’ve spent 50 years representing them and fighting for what matters most to them. I know where all the skeletons in closets are, I know who all the players are in and out of government, and the issues most important to the people of Hudson County. At the end of the day, I don’t need the party line to win in Hudson.” The other news that comes out of the Hudson announcement is that Kearny Mayor-elect Jean Doyle is listed as a part of the Hudson Democratic organization; a registered Democrat, Doyle was elected as an independent in last week’s election. Somerset County Democratic Chair Peg Schaffer also endorsed Murphy. This story was updated at 6:08 PM with comment from Bob Menendez. [END] --- [1] Url: https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/hudson-county-democrats-endorse-tammy-murphy/ Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/