the Democratic party is lining up for tamy Murphy hours after the first lady announced her bid to unseed and battled US senator Bob Menendez two Powerhouse County organizations endorsed her campaign first Hudson that's menendez's home turf then today Camden County's Democratic chairman said his group has Murphy's back too both areas have key influence in elections candidate Murphy made her first public appearance today alongside her husband the governor and a senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports it quickly became clear she'll be walking a fine line to juggle both roles Governor Murphy delivered his keynote speech with barely a mention of his wife who sat on the deis but offered no comment it marked a return to the familiar for Tammy Murphy wearing her first lady hat again at today's annual League of municipalities luncheon in Atlantic City the governor did acknowledge her role carrying the flag as an advocate Tammy is first lady carried it on infant and maternal health and there's no state in America that does what we're doing on on infant and maternal Health but not a word was spoken about Tammy Murphy US Senate candidate who launched her race with a splashy video touting her achievements as first lady yesterday the obvious challenge facing Tammy Murphy now how to play both roles I will have two hats and it will be very clear I'm either the first lady of New Jersey or I am the candidate um and I will make sure that line is not blurred Murphy told chatbox host David Cruz she'll pay special attention to projects she's worked on including maternal health care and climate change one thing that I absolutely will not uh tolerate is if any of the policy platforms if any of the um promises that I have made should not be fulfilled then I would um be very upset and so one piece of this is what is the highest and best use of my time uh and how can I make sure that all of those things that are so important to me and so important more importantly to the people of New Jersey uh are completed as first lady candidate Murphy enjoys many of the same perks as an incumbent name recognition and an easy familiarity with the powerful and connected the first lady travels up and down the state she is always in the me in in in meetings and events she's always doing um openings and and so she's got a lot of um uh face to FaceTime with the county chairs with the county organizations I think that's really going to pay off for her former Highland Park mayor Matt hailes also a political science Professor he says Murphy can easily capitalize on the first lady role to benefit her candidacy she's never held elected office before but he complimented her style so I I've always thought that Tammy Murphy is an excellent politician when Phil Murphy started I think she was better than he was of course folks here know the first lady Business Leaders especially women are intrigued by the concept of Jersey sending its first woman to the US Senate diversity around every table matters whether that's a government table a business table or a board table we want Equity we want inclusion we want diversity but we always want folks who have the goods and um again Tammy has shown in her maternal Health agenda that she can take something and she can run with it and she can execute so now we'd love to have the conversation on how we can translate that to some business and economic issues the Murphy's left quickly after the luncheon candid Murphy is expected to meet the news media on mass soon in Atlantic City I'm Brenda Flanagan BrendaFlanagan NJ Spotlight News NJ Spotlight News