Tammy Murphy, the wife of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, has announced that she is dropping out of the race for United States Senate. The decision comes after a discussion with her family and political advisors, concluding that she had almost no path to winning the June 4 primary.
Murphy’s withdrawal clears the way for insurgent Rep. Andy Kim to likely win the Democratic nomination and become the strong favorite to replace indicted Senator Bob Menendez. Kim has committed to running on the line in the Murphy counties, and it is up to party chairs in pro-Murphy counties to decide if they will replace Murphy on the party line with Kim.
Murphy primarily had trouble overcoming the appearance of nepotism as a sitting governor’s wife with no prior political experience attempted to join the United States Senate.
With Murphy out, there are three other Democrats left in the Senate race, but all are considered long-shots.
On the other side of the aisle, Republicans are hosting a competitive primary, with multiple candidates vying for the seat.
And the sitting embattled Senator Bob Menendez, a three-term incumbent, may seek re-election as an independent in the fall if he can dispense with the indictments that have ruined his political career.
