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>> Meet the Murphys.

Tammy Murphy makes her first public appearance alongside her husband after first announcing a bid for U.S. Senate.

>> she has a lot a face-to-face time with county chairs and county organizations that I think will they offer her.

>> longtime activist ramps of his campaign to dethrone Senator Bob Menendez.

>> Somebody has to be in this race that will speak for regular folks.

>> Plus a Starbucks walkout.

New Jersey employees walk off the job on the company better -- banner read cub day looking to kickstart union negotiations again.

>> We deserve fair labor practices and there is no reason Starbucks has not come to the table.

>> Raising their voices.

Members of the transgender and non-binary community speak out to fight for their equality.

>> A lot of transgender and non-binary people experience violence one way or another and some lose their lives to violence.

>> And J spotlight news begins right now.

---- NJ spotlight news begins right now.

>> From NJPBS Studios this is NJ spotlight news.

>> Good evening and thank you for joining us this Thursday night.

The Democratic Party is lame -- lining up for Tammy Murphy hours after the first lady announced her bid to unseat embattled U.S.

Senator Bob Menendez two powerhouse organizations endorsed her campaign.

First Hudson, Menendez's home turf and today Camden County's Democratic chairman says his group has Murphys back too.

Both areas have key influence in elections.

Canada's Murphy made her first public appearance today alongside her husband, the governor.

As a senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan report quickly became clear she will juggle a fine line to walk those roles.

>> Governor Murphy delivered a keynote speech with hardly a mention of his wife marking a familiar for Tammy Murphy wearing her first lady again at today's annual league of municipalities luncheon in Atlantic City.

The governor acknowledged her role carrying the flag as an advocate.

>> Tammy as first lady carried infant and maternal health.

>> Not a word was spoken about Tammy Murphy U.S. Senate candidate launching her race with a flashy video touting achievements as first lady yesterday.

The obvious challenge now is how to play both roles.

>> I will have two hats and it will be clear if I am the First Lady of New Jersey where the candidate.

I will make sure the line is not blurred.

>> Murphy told chatterbox host David Cruise she was paid -- pay special attention to projects she has worked on like maternal health care and climate change.

>> One thing I will absolutely not tolerate is if any of the policy platforms, if any of the promises I have made should not be fulfilled.

Then, I would be very upset.

So, one piece of this is, what is the highest and best use of my time?

How can I make sure all the things that are so important to me and, more important to the people of New Jersey, are completed >> As first lady candidate Murphy enjoys many of the perks as an incumbent, name recognition and easy familiarity with the powerful and connected.

>> The first lady travels up and down the state.

She is always in meetings and events, doing openings.

She has a lot of face-to-face time with county chairs and organizations.

That will pay off for her.

>> The former Highland Park Mayor Matt Hale is also a political science professor and says Murphy can capitalize on the first lady Road to benefit her candidacy.

She has never heard elected -- held elected office before but he compensated her style.

>> I think Tammy Murphy is an excellent politician.

When Phil Murphy started I think she was better than he was.

>> First know the first lady.

Business leaders especially women are intrigued by the concept of jersey sending its first woman to the U.S. Senate.

>> Diversity around every table matters whether it is a government table, business table, or a court table.

We want equity, inclusion, diversity, and we always want folks that have the goods.

Tammy hasn't shown in her maternal house agenda she can take something and run with it and execute.

Now, we would love to have the conversation on how we can translate that to some business and economic issues.

>> Of the Murphys left quickly after the luncheon.

Candidate Murphy is expected to meet the news media soon.

In Atlantic City I am Brenda Flanagan.

>> Long before the first lady tossed her hat in the ring to unseat Senator Menendez longtime political activist Larry Hamm declared he was running.

The social justice advocate and chair of Newark-based People's organization for progress is no stranger to the campaign trail.

He challenged Senator Cory Booker in the 2020 Democratic primary, but lost.

This time around Larry Hamm believes voters have more of an appetite for change.

Larry Hamm joins me now.

Thank you for joining me.

This is not your first bid at a Senate seat in New Jersey.

How are you differentiating your campaign this time?

Why are you running?

>> I am running because I want to make life better for people, for working people, poor people, everyday people.

My campaign is differentiated in that I am willing to propose big changes that need to be made to make life better.

>> Like what?

>> For instance, we must change health.

In the United States, we are the richest country in the world.

We are the only rich country that does not have universal health care.

Or, a system of national health care.

All the other advanced industrial rich countries have it.

We should have it too.

We have millions of people that are uninsured.

We have millions more that are insured, Bud, are burdened by all of the additional costs involved that you have to pay even though you have insurance.

So, we need universal health care.

We need an immediate increase in the federal minimum wage.

I am the father of three lovely daughters.

Of whom I am very proud.

They are all college graduates.

They graduated Rutgers University.

You're in New Jersey.

But, I have to say -- here in New Jersey.

But, I have to say I had to mortgage my home twice to get them through college.

So many young people are graduating with undergraduate school with tens of thousands of dollars of student debt.

We have bailed out banks in this country to the tune of a trillion dollars.

We have bailed out major auto industries.

We can cancel student debt.

So, our young people can have a chance at life.

>> You are no stranger to organizing.

You have been doing it most of your life.

And obviously, your career.

How are you going about this race when you have the likes of first lady Tammy Murphy jumping in just yesterday, Andy Kim.

They both have a lot of money and already endorsements behind them.

>> Right.

It's tough.

I am the first to admit that.

It is an uphill climb.

But, somebody has to be in the race that will speak for regular folks.

That will speak for working people.

That will speak for poor people.

That will give voice to the voiceless.

Yes, I am running against candidates who have a lot of money.

But, what they do not have that I have is a very close connection to regular people.

I have been working in organizing in this social justice movement for over 50 years.

I feel like I have a close connection to people.

And I know what people really want.

So, we need people in Congress, in the house, and Senate, for which I am running, that will not be afraid to stand up to fight those of moneyed interests.

>> Let me ask you this.

Let's say if we get to the primary, let's say money wins out and another candidate has the money and that candidate gets the nomination.

Would you run off the line?

Or, are you seeking the backing of the establishment?

>> I am running in the Democratic primary.

After the primary -- >> After the primary?

>> Look.

Let's be clear.

As far as I am concerned Democrats must retained control of the U.S. Senate.

I am running in the Democratic primary.

I am working to win the Democratic primary.

If I don't win, I will support the winner of the Democratic primary.

Imagine this twice indicted president that is the lead candidate of the Republican Party.

I want to make it clear that I am running in the Democratic primary and I will do my best to win that primary.

But, I will support the winner of the primary both for Senate and for president of the United States.

>> Larry Hamm, thank you for joining me.

Turning to the conflict in the Middle East.

Israeli forces are under intense pressure to prove long-standing claims hospitals in Gaza served as Hamas hideouts, which is the military says it is just Asian.

Especially the hospital the IDF took control of Wednesday.

Gaza's health ministry says thousands of civilians are inside either sheltering or as patients and their lives are in immediate jeopardy.

The White House has so far said it believes intelligence showing Hamas use to the hospital as a base.

But Israel's ability to back the claim should be key to whether it continues getting international support in their response to the October 7 attacked by Hamas.

One of Israel's staunchest U.S. congressional allies is New Jersey representative Chris Smith that says Israel's right to defend itself is absolute.

He joins me now.

Representative Smith, it's good to have you on the show.

I want to ask you about the stance on humanitarian pauses.

The Biden administration, for what I believe is the first time, abstained from a boat with the UN Security Council looking at a potential extended humanitarian pause.

Prior to that, as you know, the administration has blocked those efforts.

At what point, or will there be a point, where yourself and other members of Congress see a need for a pause in this fighting to get more humanitarian aid there?

>> I wish the administration would have vetoed that.

Right now, we know beyond a reasonable doubt Hamas wants this in order to redeploy their forces.

To strengthen them in certain areas.

To further ascertain where the IDF is operating.

To hit back even harder.

They are the ones putting Palestinians at risk.

They took hostages.

They have killed so many people, particularly on October 7.

In an unprovoked terrific act of savagery.

You get their own leaders, Hamas leaders saying over and over again we will keep doing this over and over again.

We will kill Jews and into the state of Israel.

>> You were a participant in the March on D.C. on the national mall with hundreds of thousands of folks.

What is your message and why did you participate?

>> Thank you for the question.

I do co-chair the antisemitism caucus.

I created the law that created the special envoy for combating anti-Semitism as an ambassador at large.

David was one of the speakers and I created that through a piece of my legislation.

The message is that we stand with the Israelites.

They are a democracy.

They are a country that believes in religious freedom.

The due process of law.

They have a Supreme Court that is very active with branches with checks and balances.

The Jewish people, it is their homeland and open to whether that is well that are not Jews.

Whether they are Muslim or Christian.

Unfortunately they face an adversary that wants to wipe them off the face of the earth.

So we have to stand, in my humble opinion, with Israel every step of the way.

>> Congressman Cummings you feel Israel is following the international laws on war given the civilian death toll?

>> I do and I do very emphatically.

Look at wars in the past when the Nazis attacked us, or attacked Europe, of course, starting with Poland.

When Imperial Japan attacked us, our response was designed to end that cruelty and ministered society.

Sadly and regrettably, there will be some civilian deaths when your opponent, in this case, a group of thugs and terrorists hide behind human shields of women and children and that is what they are doing.

Do you think the line has been blurred for folks especially in the West between Palestinians and Palestinian civilians?

We know the majority of them are under the age of 18.

And Hamas?

>> I think what has happened, they did win by election in 2005 4 2006.

>> Most of the folks there now are too young to have voted.

>> They will never have another election and they will keep teaching the next generation to kill.

Their charter -- charter of 1988 has one section that says, even the Roxanne flowers cry out -- rocks and flowers will cry out, there is a Jew hiding behind me.

Come and kill him.

That is sick and they are teaching kids this as part of the Hamas dogma.

I have read the whole thing several times.

They even talk about peace conferences being antithetical to anything dealing with Islam.

That is a total perversion of the Islamic faith.

Not to treat people with respect.

>> Congressman Chris Smith is the chairman of the subcommittee of human rights and global affairs.

Thank you so much.

In our spotlight on business report tonight, if you are a Latte lover you may know today is annual red cup day at Starbucks where Varese this hand out free holiday themed reusable cups to surge traffic at company stores nationwide.

This year thousands of priest is that more than 200 locations including here in New Jersey walked off the job protesting their lack of a contract despite a roughly two year long effort to unionize the chain.

Ted Goldberg spoke with workers about the demand at a picket line in Morris County.

>> Some Starbucks workers are trying to convince customers to take their business elsewhere.

>At least for today.

Union members at New Jersey's five organized stores are bringing attention to the fact no unionized Starbucks location has agreed to a contract with corporate.

>> Everyone, Varese does, nurses, autoworkers have all been on strike.

Actors.

We all deserve fair labor practices and there is no reason Starbucks has not come to the table.

>> We have not got the proper staffing.

We still have a contract.

We are trying to fight for that and today is the biggest moneymaking day of the year so let's hit it where it hurts.

>> Union represents the staff at more than 360 American Starbucks stores.

Unionized employees walked off the job today and are on strike today during red cup day, a huge moneymaker for Starbucks.

>> I was not scheduled for red cup day last year but I know it was bad.

>> It was our first real strike.

Honestly, we managed to cause a lot of destruction and get a lot of refunds.

Honestly Starbucks was really feeling the heat on that one there.

>> The coverage highlights their issues and concerns.

>> This records labor professors as the red cup rebellion will not cripple the coffee company, but should shine a light on what union members as they are antiunion tactics.

For instance Starbucks recently announced a wave of raises for employees.

But some of them will not take effect in unionized stores.

>> The fact they are using raises in nonunion stores versus union stores definitely gives off the aroma of a unionbusting tactic.

>> Is it legal?

>> It is a gray zone for the NLRB to decide.

>> The National Labor Relations Board has been busy dealing with Starbucks and accusations of unionbusting tactics.

Starbucks says that some of the races are subject to collective bargaining and has accused some locations of not confirming a proposed session including the star in ledge wood.

Part of the statement reads despite escalating rhetoric and recurring rallies demanding a contract, workers United has not agreed to progress contract bargaining more than five months.

As we joined to uplift of the holiday season and reflect on the past year, we call on workers United to fulfill their obligations and engage in the work of negotiating first contracts.

>> We aren't asking for unreasonable things.

We are asking for better staffing and a little more money for what we do because we do a lot.

We are asking for safer working conditions.

>> The pay is miserable.

$15.75 for the busiest in the district.

>> Taylor Alston has worked as a breezed in ledge wood since March.

>> We are constantl short staffed and struggling and customers harass us because we have to close early.

>> Some customers listened to the union members and walked away.

Calling Starbucks corporate to get a refund on canceled drink orders.

>> You can still go in and they will still make it because they don't know you are getting a refund.

You can grab a coffee and get your money back.

>> Is that illegal?

>> No, it's the Starbucks corporate number.

>> We have a lot of good customers that know us and like us.

A lot of times they will cancel our order or they want come in because they support us rather than the company.

I think we have a decent customer base.

>> The customer base could lend support to unions as they continue fighting for a contract.

In ledgewood I'm Ted Goldberg.

>> On Wall Street stocks were mixed today after a big rally in the middle of the week.

Here is the markets closed.

>> Support for the business report provided by the New Jersey tourism industry Association.

They will host their New Jersey conference on tourism November 30-December 1 at resorts Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

Njtia.org has event information.

>> Tune in this weekend to NJ business speed with Raven Santana looking at rising costs for the holidays intruding retail for New Jersey shoppers and how inflation is impacting the cost of getting a meal on the table.

Watch it on the YouTube channel Saturday at 10:00 a.m.. >> Today marks the midpoint of transgender awareness week.

It's observed every year to highlight challenges faced by transgender and LGBTQ+ members of the community.

Advocates warn transgender rights are increasingly under attack, pointing to rollbacks on student protection and the culture wars around gender identity in politics and schools.

Activists are fighting fiercely for the community and our senior correspondent reports this week is also a time to recognize transgender achievement and results.

>> About 44% of transgender and non-binary youth in New Jersey, specific to our state, seriously considered suicide in the past year.

>> The alarming numbers are a stockroom -- a stark reminder that during this year's transgender awareness week non-binary and transgender individuals in New Jersey face significant Lehigh mental health challenges than the general population.

>> 63% of them have reported experiencing depression over the past year.

>> The statistics come from annual reports by the Trevor Project and the Gay, lesbian, and straight education network.

This attorney and transgender advocates as it does not have to be that have to be this way.

>> Being transgender or non-binary in and of itself is not a predicative for suicidal ideation.

There is no need for transgender or non-binary folks to have higher rates of suicidal ideation than the general population.

But, the lack of acceptance and understanding transgender and non-binary people is so pervasive, that makes it very difficult for trans people to come out.

>> In New Jersey very public discourse around the role of schools in outing trance students has had a big in that on the students says Damien Lopez.

>> Now students can out me to my parents without knowing they do not support me.

That is something I am scared of everyday now.

I know I am not going into safe spaces at school either way.

There will just be more bullying, more harassments, a lot more stressors on top of things they are dealing with.

>> They are on social media very aware of the races that took place November 7.

They are very aware of the Board of Education folks that might be running and very aware of what policy changes may meet for them.

If they are in a place where they don't stay safe, that will directly impact their levels of anxiety, depression.

Those things can lead to, in extreme cases suicidal litigation.

>> Suicide is not the only harm facing transgender and non-binary individuals.

This week of awareness ends with a transgender Day of awareness Friday.

>> That is when we take a moment to remember the many transgender lives that have been lost over the past year.

Inevitably it is always trans women of color that meet when it comes to violence against people in the community.

A lot of transgender and non-binary people experience violence in one way or another.

A lot of them lose their lives to violence.

>> Specifically for transgender and non--- non-binary folks, this is a particularly dangerous place for folks that identify as such.

The humor rep -- human rights campaign found in 2022 at least 41 transgender and gender nonconforming people were fatally shot.

>> Yet so many fatal interactions go unreported.

The call for those that want to be allies this weekend every week.

-- week and every week.

>> Small things like supporting them when they come out to you, reminding them that they are loved and can authentically be themselves.

>> Lopez says that type of ally ship means action, not just words.

>> That will do it for us tonight.

Catch reporters roundtable with David Cruz tomorrow.

He talks to Senate President about the Democrat agenda during the lame-duck session, which issues are getting attention and which are not.

Then a panel of reporters breaks down this week's political headlines.

Watch roundtable tomorrow at noon on the NJ Spotlight news YouTube channel.

For the entire team, thank you for being with us.

Have a great evening.

We will see you tomorrow.

>> Serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

And committed BSC G foundation -- PSCG foundation.

>> Look at these kids.

What do you see?

I see myself.

I became an ESL teacher to give my students what I wanted when I came to this country.

And, the opportunity to learn, to achieve.

A chance to belong and to be an American.

My name is Julia, and I am proud to be an NJEA member.