Phil Murphy in Politico.com


On Foreign Policy: Former U.S. ambassador to Germany, appointed by Obama

The 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial campaign is officially underway, a year before the first ballots are cast. Phil Murphy, the wealthy former U.S. ambassador to Germany who has spent the last two years laying the groundwork for a run for governor, became the first major candidate to declare his candidacy. "New Jersey's challenges can't wait," Murphy said in the two-minute video. "I'm taking the unusual step of announcing my candidacy for governor a year ahead of the election, because my campaign is not going to be politics as usual. It's time for a governor who has your back. I will."

Murphy's commercial never mentions [that he was an executive at] Goldman Sachs, instead focusing on his work as a former Democratic National Committee finance chairman under chairman Howard Dean, his years as the President Barack Obama-appointed ambassador to Germany, his leadership of two New Jersey charities and status as a member of the NAACP's national board.

Source: Politico.com on 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial race May 16, 2016

On Government Reform: I don't owe the political insiders anything

In the two-minute video [announcing his gubernatorial campaign], Murphy tried to set himself apart from the other hopefuls with his resume: "Here's what this campaign is not about: serving the political insiders," he said in the video. "Because I don't owe the insiders anything. I worked hard, got lucky and was able to turn my full-time attention to giving back."

Murphy, who grew up outside Boston to a family he frequently says was "middle-class on a good day," made his fortune as an executive at Goldman Sachs in the 1990s and early 2000s. The firm is unpopular among liberals and in New Jersey is associated with unpopular former Gov. Jon Corzine--a past CEO of the firm whose time there coincided with Murphy's. The Democratic hopeful has stressed other aspects of his career.

Source: Politico.com on 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial race May 16, 2016

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