TRENTON, N.J. – A wealthy former Goldman Sachs executive and Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s top deputy immediately took aim at each other after winning primaries Tuesday in the race to replace the unpopular governor, continuing campaign attacks that have marked the first statewide primary election since President Donald Trump took office.
Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno will face off Nov. 7 in one of only two governor’s races this year, along with Virginia, with Democrats hopeful their promised anti-Trump agenda and voter registration advantage will propel them to victory and jump-start a 2018 congressional comeback.
The election comes as Trump administration developments swamp headlines, spurring Murphy to lash out at the Republican president and wedging Guadagno between an unpopular White House and a governor of whom most voters disapprove.
“Four more years of Christie-style politics won’t make New Jersey the state where we draw the line against Donald Trump, but we will,” Murphy said. “We are better than Donald Trump, and we are better than Chris Christie.”
As Joe Piscopo, actor, comedian and radio host, looks on New Jersey Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno celebrates at her primary election night event Tuesday, June 6, 2017, in Long Branch, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)Murphy, a former Obama administration ambassador to Germany who poured more than $20 million into the contest, tied Guadagno to Christie during his victory speech in Newark and reiterated a promise to oppose Trump.