Will Trenton Democrats scrutinize Murphy’s travel like they did for Christie?

By Matt Rooney
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Back in April 2015, I wrote that Chris Christie’s extensive out-of-state travel for the RGA, a then-burgeoning presidential campaign, and other various political pursuits wouldn’t matter if he could flip nine Assembly seats. Of course that never happened, and Christie is on track for foot note status. 

Phil Murphy (in case you missed it) is now the head of the DGA (the RGA’s Democrat equivalent). He flew out to California after this week’s snow event subsided to formally take on the role, one which stands to keep him out-of-state for significant stretches in 2020. What if Trump wins in 2020? Should we expect Murphy start campaigning for president himself even before 2021 – his own reelection year – is decided? We’ve seen it before. 

What I’d like to know:

Will New Jersey Democrats tolerate Murphy’s travel schedule? Or will he get the Christie treatment?

It’s to be expected that the opposition party would criticize the other party’s governor over just about everything, all the time and without pity. Welcome to politics.

Some N.J. Democrats went a step further when Christie reigned at Drumthwacket, proposing legislation which would BAN the Governor’s out-of-state travel (First Amendment be damned?) and even forcing the Governor to resign if he wanted to simultaneously serve as governor and run for president. That last one is particularly hypocritical since Democrats recently passed legislation clarifying that Cory Booker could run for U.S. Senate and president simultaneously, but let’s not get sidetracked.

CHRISCHRISTIE.COM PHOTO
CHRISCHRISTIE.COM PHOTO

I don’t think (most) Democrats will be as hard on Murphy as they were on Christie. Call it an educated guess!

Then again, Murphy is constantly at war with his party’s Southern Machine led by Senate President Steve Sweeney. No one would be shocked if Sweeney criticized the Democrat Governor for a lack of focus in the weeks and months ahead, especially if (for example) there was another #SnowMess-like incident. Sweeney’s already said worse. But unless a serious, South Jersey-backed Murphy primary challenge DOES materialize, it’s very hard to imagine legislation of the like which Christie endured ever getting serious consideration. 

Regular Save Jersey readers know this website was PLENTY hard on Chris Christie for being chronically distracted. Governor Christie actually unfriended me on Facebook over it. Oops.

Don’t expect the same independent streak from the other side of the aisle. At least not in any meaningful fashion. 

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Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8405 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.