>> major funding for "Chat Box" with David Cruz is provided by the New Jersey education funding Association, making public schools great for every child.

Promotional support is provided by insider NJ, a political intelligence network dedicated to New Jersey political news.

Insider NJ is committed to giving serious political players and interactive forum for ideas, discussion, and insight.

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♪ David: Hey, everybody.

Welcome to "Chat Box."

I'm David Cruise.

The annual league of municipalities conference was held in Atlantic City this week.

We will take you there later in the show, but we begin with the big news of the week.

First Lady Tammy Murphy announcing her bid for U.S. Senate.

Not unexpected, but certainly the topic of many conversations this week.

Tammy Murphy joins us now for a quick chat.

Madame first lady, welcome.

Ms. Murphy: Thank you, David.

Great to see you.

David: Great to see you.

Standard usually is start small thin build, but you've altered to a race for U.S. Senate as your first dip into the waters.

Who did you talk to about this?

I assume governor and family first, but who else?

Ms. Murphy: Honestly, I can tell you this was not even on my radar screen.

Office was not even that public office was not even on my radar other than public service.

When Senator Menendez was prosecuted, I had a swath of people in the communities I have been working in for the last six years started asking me if I would consider representing them.

I can tell you that at first I really was indignant and scuffed at the idea, but as I moved forward, I felt that families and our children and their futures are on the line right now, so I figured I would investigate.

Sat down with groups truly across the state -- Faith leaders, advocates -- and ask them what they thought I brought to the table, what they saw that I could do that others could not, and I then obviously and clearly spoke with my family and did a lot of soul-searching to figure out if this was something that would work for us, if I should go forward, and one thing has led to another and I now have determined yes, I can do this, and yes, I am able to represent voices across our state, so that's how I got here.

David: Did you talk to any other state political leaders or anyone like that?

Ms. Murphy: I have talked to everyone.

I have talked to retired senators, current senators, anyone I felt could give me some sort of information on the job and information on how and what characteristics are needed to fill this role and what I brought to the table, and I will tell you, if you should know me, the way I operate, I literally dig in.

I put my head down.

I had my iPod, and I've taken copious notes from various conversations, and I have a very long document that helped me consider if I would do this.

David: I was at the league this week talking about you and this run and got some eye rolling and heard a lot of, I guess, resentment about you getting into the express lane and replacing particularly a long serving Latino.

A lot of this came from women of color.

Do you acknowledge that that sentiment is out there and how have you or will you address it?

>> What I would say to you is I will do what I have done always.

I will be in the communities.

I will talk to people.

I will make sure that where there are concerns, particularly in the Latina community, which obviously feels unhappy right now with the situation -- I want to make sure I am the best possible voice and the right choice moving forward to represent everyone across the state.

David: Anybody say that to you?

Anybody express that resentment to you?

Ms. Murphy: To be honest with you, cannot really name anybody.

I have had questions that people ask and I have answered them honestly.

That's what I do.

I'm very open book.

I'm very honest, and I have been encouraged.

David: In your announcement video, you talk about your privilege as a wealthy white woman and how that give you access in that case to top rate health care, but is it fair to say that your race and bank account and the fact that you are married to the governor of the state have made this run possible?

Ms. Murphy: I would not say so.

I am truly going to honor everyone's vote, and I am going to make sure, as I said, this is a broad coalition and that I am genuinely entrenched in the communities across the state and can understand what is needed of me, what is wanted of me, so, no, I would not say that.

David: I am going to share this.

You have probably heard it.

When Phil Murphy rushed to judgment and called on me to resign, it was clear that he had a personal, vested interest in doing so -- that is part of a statement from incumbent Senator Bob Menendez.

Does he have a right to all that indignation he has been showing?

Ms. Murphy: The senator has done some really good things for the state.

There's no question about that.

My view is that these allegations are so serious, involving the judiciary, involving international relations and policy.

I just think that at this point in time, the senator does not have the moral standing to reflect those comments.

David: In a fundraising text message announcing your candidacy, you say that you are running against Bob Menendez.

You don't mention Congressman Andy Kim.

Is it your plan to ignore him?

Ms. Murphy: There are several other people who are running, so I think that is more for expediency's sake.

I think that Congressman Kim, who I helped elect that in 2018 and for whom I have a lot of respect, he and I do agree that Senator Menendez should step down and that we New Jerseyans deserve better representation in Washington.

Our children deserve a leader who has the ability to communicate honesty and has the backing of the public, and I just don't think that that is where we are right now.

David: In addition to the real and perceived advantage is that you have, one for certain is the party line, the system whereby party bosses award favorable ballot position and then troops, etc., to a campaign that they like.

You know the system is being challenged in court.

Would you support an end to that system?

Ms. Murphy: What I would say is that I'm going to build a broad coalition, as I have sent to you several times.

I'm going to go up and down this state.

I want to have every pocket and every person able to have access to me.

I hope they will.

I hope if anybody is listening out there, I hope they will go to TammyMurphyforSenate.com and that they will lean in and give me any advice.

I also would say that for those people who have built up and strengthened the Democratic Party for decades, if I am able to win their support, then I would be absolutely honored.

David: How will it work, you as a candidate for office and first lady?

That is two jobs to juggle right there.

Ms. Murphy: It is and I would say that is part of my concern as I was deliberating.

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

One piece of this is what is the best use of my time, and how can I make sure all those things that are so important to me and so important, more importantly, to the people of New Jersey, are completed.

I have now satisfied myself that we have plans in place to carry on and make sure we are delivering, and I would just say to you that I will have two paths, and it will be very clear.

I am either the First Lady of New Jersey or the candidate, and I will make sure that line is not blurred.

David: You were at the Jewish business alliance event in Atlantic City this week.

What is your position on a cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas?

>> I think there is no question that Hamas is a terrorist organization.

They do not deserve to exist.

A cease-fire will not enable Hamas to be annihilated, so from my opinion and my standpoint, we have to make sure that we do everything to protect Palestinians, and we have to make sure that we are protecting the Israelis, but Hamas, no time for them.

David: What legislative and priority goals will you prioritize?

Ms. Murphy: I will say several things.

I think New Jersey is a mirror of our entire country.

The autonomy and affordability continues to be a challenge despite best efforts over the past six years to make New Jersey a great place to live and to work and to raise a family.

I would say abortion, abortion, abortion.

It is shocking to me that this is on the table and that it is on the table here in New Jersey, so that there is another topic I look forward to diving into.

You know me well enough to know that I care deeply about infant maternal health.

I am so proud that New Jersey is the first state in the nation to lead in climate change education, so I would say all of the above plus gun safety.

I have been really upset to see all of the mass shootings, as has everyone.

When we got to about the 580th mass shooting this year, I lost track.

I have proven based on the infant maternal health and climate change education work that I have done that I have no fear about tackling the biggest entrenched challenges that we have facing our state and our country, so I would just say to you that I look forward to digging in -- I'm pretty tenacious -- and I want to get there and represent, and I have no problem, for example, going after the gun lobby.

Someone has got to do it.

We cannot carry on like this.

It just feels from my vantage point that there is a level of dysfunction in Washington, if it's real or perceived, I don't know.

I have my guess, but I do believe we need some sound, honest people in the room who will try and bridge the partisan divide and bring us back into tackling the really big issues in our world.

That is what I want to do.

David: You mentioned that mess over there.

If you get in there, are you going to be like holy -- I didn't realize it was this bad?

Ms. Murphy: I guess it depends how high or low I think the bar is.

Let's just leave it that I look over to being in the room, and, you know, sometimes I'm quiet and I study things, but once I dig in, I will have no inhibitions about going in the direction I think is best for the people of New Jersey and making our lives better.

David: Fair to say you come to all of this from a progressive point of view?

>> -- Ms. Murphy: I do.

I would say importantly, I believe with all my heart that democracy is on the line right now, and I think that it is and all hands on deck moment, and I look forward to proving and showing that I am the right choice at the right time to help the people of New Jersey.

David: All right, the former Tammy Snyder.

You know her as Tammy Murphy.

The First Lady of New Jersey, now candidate for U.S. Senate.

Thank you for coming on with us.

Ms. Murphy: Thank you so much, David.

David: Safe to say the league of municipalities is back.

Over 15,000 this week for the annual gathering of elected and government officials.

Here is a sample of some of the sights and sounds.

We found Republicans looking for the bright side after a terrible, no good, very bad week at the polls and found some Democrats willing to share their advice.

>> It has been a tough week for Republicans.

You all getting together to have a pity party or are you going to rally?

>> you wake up the next day and you still have work to do.

Disappointing results statewide.

District that was pleased in one county and won every contested race we had, so proud of my local group.

You got to wake up the next day and get back to work.

David: And you guys have got to kind of expand -- what?

The message, the way you deliver the message, what?

>> it is easy to Monday morning quarterback that results, and the results just were not good, but we had a caucus meeting shortly after.

The minority leader is doing a good job of getting everybody galvanized and back together, but one thing about New Jersey, there is always another election.

An election coming up next year, and his is a big one, so I lie ahead for us.

David: What did you think about what happened last week?

A good night for Democrats, right?

>> I think the state is just more blue.

Here rhetoric around it is a purple state, and people point to Chris Christie.

Things change, certainly since Trump became president.

More Democrats, and a lot of institutional advantages, and I think you saw that.

>> The message was very disjointed.

Looking back and doing that postelection postmortem, I think the message was somewhat disjointed.

While I fully understand each district needs to run their own race, we still have to be able to have some type of unifying message statewide, and I don't think we were able to get that across the finish line.

>> is it the messenger or the message?

>> Again, each district has a dynamic unto itself.

I think past social media posts caught up with our Senate Republic candidate.

In District four, we never recovered from a brutal primary, and you cannot win when you are the minority, outnumbered by 16,000 Democrats, and the Republican Party is divided as it was in D4.

In the 11, you have a guy that works 365 days a year and leverages the power of incumbency.

In D 16, we had a guy that was pretty rigid in his pro-life position, and the opposition pummeled him.

Across the state, they were outspent at least 7-one.

Money matters.

>> You watch the Republicans take a beating this week in legislative races.

You have been through a few of those yourself.

Give them some advice.

>> This country has to be governed in the middle.

>> We feel like they need to change the tone of what they talk about and how they talk about things.

I assume that will be part of the conversations you have with members of your party down here.

Have you already started to have those conversations, and what has the reaction been?

>> The reaction is people on the far right who have been losing over and over again with their hostile rhetoric, think that I'm some sort of rino, right?

Well let me tell you something, I am rino that can win if I decide to run statewide because we have to respect the people in the middle.

We have to respect both sides of the aisle.

People don't want us just pointing fingers at each other.

The reaction, most of it has been, Democrats go, hey, good idea.

Crazy Republicans go, you are just a democrat.

The bottom line is you treat people with respect, try to get things done, and meet in the middle.

That's what democracy is.

David: The big news out of the conference was Tammy Murphy, the first lady announcing her candidacy for the U.S. Senate, probably the worst kept secret in the state.

Are Republicans licking their chops at the possibility of a possible Tammy Murphy run?

>> I don't think so.

I think it will be difficult in a presidential year, especially if Donald Trump is on top of the ticket.

David: You came out not necessarily endorsing Andrew can, but said some nice things about him.

>> I say nice things about everybody.

David: It is a good strategy.

There is some resistance to the first lady.

People promoting the sense that she is entitled.

>> If you look at her resume and credentials and even what she has done as the first lady, you would say she has been able to achieve a lot, but you cannot take away the fact that she is married to the governor and there are people that will resent the fact or tie that to the narrative that's how she got there and that's nepotism.

It is going to be a harder campaign than I think most people appreciate because she is going to have to overcompensate for the fact that people probably take for granted the fact that she has only been the governor's wife, which is actually not true as far as her resume, but she will work and she will be a good candidate.

>> I don't think that New Jerseyans will be happy if Senator Menendez is not the nominee, if in fact it is is Tammy Murphy.

I don't think New Jerseyans will be happy about that, saying wait a minute, the governor, Phil Murphy, now it will be his wife in the U.S. Senate.

People don't like monarchies in the United States of America.

I don't think people like monarchies in the state of New Jersey.

They are going to want someone that is new and fresh, and I don't know who the nominee will be because this is a daunting task.

Let's be honest with ourselves.

Republicans have not held the seat since 1972.

That's 50 years at this point.

We have a lot of work to do and an uphill battle in state elections.

If you look at the results of this past election, we did not do well statewide.

We have to be honest with ourselves.

We did not do that well, and we have to take a long, hard look at how we will win statewide in 2024 and 2025.

>> do you guys have a candidate who can take advantage of this rare opportunity?

>> I hope is Republicans we can get our act together.

>> We have a great candidate.

I'm supporting her.

She will be out there, and I look forward to the race.

David: Nothing to say about Tammy Murphy's candidacy?

>> I don't worry about Democrats.

I worry about Republicans.

>> I'm committed to Tammy.

I think she will make an excellent senator.

David: You don't think she is jumping the line?

>> I don't think so.

She has been involved in a lot of these endeavors all these years.

David: The league is the place for candidates to take -- test the waters and float an occasional trial balloon.

We talked with some candidates ready to run and some just testing the waters.

You must be running for something because you are wearing a tie.

>> Yes, I am running for governor and this is a good place to be.

David: What do you do here?

A lot of people have parties this year.

You went with billboards.

What is your agenda here?

>> And at the convention center now, so there are things to do from a municipal standpoint.

You want to buy snowblowers or plows, this is the place.

Spent a little time here, and then I'm going to be just networking.

Bunch of individual meetings, maybe mayors that geographically I cannot get to during the course of a normal workweek.

And, you know, basically some brand awareness around what I'm doing for the state of New Jersey and why I'm running.

David: Ordinarily, you would not be quite so active at one of these?

>> I'm more active because I'm running in the sense I took some billboards out on the Atlantic City Expressway.

It does not hurt to publicized a little bit about what I am to them and just networking here.

There's an lot of people you don't get a chance to see from a geographic standpoint because we are all the way up north and they might be in South Jersey, and this is a good opportunity to get together, talk about the campaign and what we are doing in Jersey City.

David: What do you think about some of the Democrats already lining up to run for governor?

What do you think about that batch on the others?

>> it's going to be a food fight on the others and and they play rough in the sand.

Us Republicans, we play a little nicer in the sandbox.

Not real nice, but they play really rough.

David: As far as that goes, how you all play together, I have not been here in this business that long, but Republicans used to be nicer and nicer to one another, I think and you think that somehow you all are going to play nice this year, it seems like there's going to be knife fights in the sandbox.

>> Well, the meaner they are -- and I'm talking about the crazies in my party -- the more likely we are going to lose.

David: You sound a little pessimistic on 2024.

Are you more optimistic on 2025?

>> It depends how the presidential election goes.

When you have a Republican presidential candidate that wins, typically what happens in the state of New Jersey, we have a Democrat governor, and vice versa.

When we have a Democrat president, we get a Republican governor, except in this 2021 cycle.

We need to break this cycle if we are going to be successful as Republicans, and it looks like we are losing at a minimum five assembly seats, potentially six and we already know we lost a seat in the Senate.

We already know we have some rebuilding to do.

David: You have some work to do.

We have talked about and others have talked about Mike Testa for governor.

You said wait until this election is over and then I'll -- what?

Start thinking about it?

How much thinking have you been doing on that?

>> I have not had much time to think about it.

As we said, it is one week post-election.

I need to sit with the team and sit with party leadership to see if Mike Testa is even somewhat they would want to be a leader at this point in time.

I'm a party guy, so I need to sit down with a party and see what direction they want to go.

>> run for governor like you are running for mayor, talk about kitchen table issues, issues that matter to people every single day.

I have won seven elections in the state, all in a district, county, town where Democrats outnumber Republicans.

When you talk about solving problems that followed in every day, we do well as a party.

David: You are the first to clear gubernatorial candidate because you declared two minutes after -- >> I said it was my intention and plan to run.

And it is.

I will declare some time this spring.

David Gold it was something you said years ago before anybody else jumped in.

Where does that stand?

How do you get over those last three, four percentage points you missed out on last time?

>> we are second only to Tom Kane's 1985 reelection campaign.

I like to think those people will vote for me again because I want take them for granted.

We know what we need to do to penetrate other areas, pick up another 100,000 votes to make the difference.

I'm confident in my game plan, my team, and my candidacy.

David: That is "Chat Box" this week.

Thanks to Tammy Murphy for joining us.

You can follow me on X and find more content, including full episodes, when you scan the QR code on your screen.

We are off next week for Thanksgiving.

I hope yours is happy and peaceful.

Thanks for watching.

We will see you again in a couple of weeks.

>> major funding for "Chat Box with David Cruz" is provided by the embers of the New Jersey education Association, making public schools great for every child.

Promotional support is provided by insider NJ, a political intelligence network dedicated to New Jersey political news.

Insider NJ is committed to giving serious political players and interactive forum for ideas, discussion, and insight.

Online at and SATA -- at insiderNJ.com.

♪