NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy Announces Run For U.S. Senate

First lady Tammy Murphy announced her run for U.S. Senate in a video released Wednesday morning.

The opportunity for Murphy to run and have a chance at winning came in the form of federal charges of bribery and treason against incumbent Sen. Bob Menendez.

He has vehemently denied any guilt and continued conducting business as usual in Washington despite numerous calls for him to resign. Gov. Phil Murphy was among the first to call for him to quit.

In her campaign video, Tammy Murphy, who has never held public office, introduced herself to voters as the youngest daughter of five of Ed and Jean Snyder who taught her the importance of education, service to others and hard work. She started a career in finance working all around the world and where she met husband, the future Gov. Phil Murphy.

“I’m running for the United States Senate because we owe to our kids to do better," Tammy Murphy said in her video. “Right now Washington is filled with too many people more interested in getting rich or getting on camera than getting things done for you,” she said in the video as an image of Menendez appeared on the screen.

As of Wednesday morning her campaign had not filed with the Federal Election Commission, a requirement to raise funds.

'Big complicated issues' to solve

She ticked off a number of issues of concern including climate change, abortion and gun violence.

"We have big complicated issues and solving them won't be easy. But you know what? Nothing worth doing ever is," she said.

Murphy has already won the endorsement of retiring state Sen. Richard Codey and the support of South Jersey-based political kingmaker George Norcross.

U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J. 3rd District, who announced his intention to run following the initial Menendez indictments, made his campaign official Friday. He has said he will run regardless of Tammy Murphy's entrance into the race.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J. 2nd District, told the New Jersey Globe he will decide on a run for U.S. Senate in the 2024 Republican primary by January. He floated speculation about a run but has not made it official.

Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner has already entered the race. She blasted Tamm Murphy's candidacy as an example of "cronyism that has plagued New Jersey politics for decades."

“Worse yet, ‘Bougie Tammy’ – with her Italian villa and designer label lifestyle – couldn’t possibly relate to the struggles that New Jersey families face daily in this Biden-Murphy economy," Glassner said in a statement. "If Tammy Murphy’s coronation as the Democrat nominee takes place as planned, it will send a loud and clear signal to New Jersey voters that the Democrat machine has learned nothing from the sad saga of ‘Gold Bar Bob.’"