Phil Murphy’s wife, Tammy, enters New Jersey Senate race to unseat Bob Menendez

Tammy Murphy, the wife of Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ), announced her Senate campaign on Wednesday to unseat Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) in 2024.

Murphy announced in a video on X, formerly Twitter, that she is running to “fight for New Jersey, our families and our democracy.” She now joins Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) in what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary to replace Menendez in the blue state.

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The New Jersey first lady highlighted her work with mothers and children in her campaign announcement, saying she never needed to worry about surviving childbirth or her children’s healthcare because of “the money in our family’s bank account and, frankly, the color of my skin.”

“But that’s not the case for a lot of women, so when I got here, I realized I had a platform to help moms who aren’t nearly as fortunate as I am,” Tammy Murphy said, showing clips of her work to address New Jersey’s maternal mortality rates.

“I’m ready to work every single day in the United States Senate for you, your family, and our country,” Tammy Murphy said.

Tammy Murphy did not mention Menendez by name in her campaign video, but she blasted the lawmakers in Washington, D.C., who are “more interested in getting rich or getting on camera than getting things done for you.”

Menendez faces federal bribery charges in connection with New Jersey businessmen and charges related to conspiring to act as a foreign agent on behalf of the Egyptian government. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the corruption-related charges and adamantly says he is innocent.

The embattled New Jersey senator and his wife, Nadine, were initially hit with three charges in September for allegedly engaging in a corrupt relationship with three businessmen: Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes. The couple allegedly accepted bribes that included hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, a luxury vehicle, and more, according to the September indictment.

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Tammy Murphy’s campaign launch comes after weeks of speculation, particularly as polling showed only 9% of Democrats would reelect Menendez in 2024. More than 30 Democratic senators, as well as Phil Murphy, have called for Menendez’s resignation.

However, Tammy Murphy has never held elected office and registered as a Republican until the mid-2010s, which could put off Democratic voters. If elected, she would be the first woman to serve as a senator from New Jersey.