EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first edition of a new weekly newsletter on the crazy world of New Jersey politics. You can subscribe here.
Something new for you
As the bard of our great state would say, Greetings from New Jersey!
Jersey’s the land of lovely beaches and fun-filled boardwalks. Mega malls, and strip malls, and well … regular malls. Horse farms sitting side by side with tractor trailers rumbling down busy highways. So much traffic, so few trains that run on time. Lots of pride and ’tude. A place where squabbles over pork products can provoke a fist fight.
And it’s a state where politics have always been messy, vicious, and kinda nuts. Especially lately.
You may know the main players. There are governors, blue (the guy riding out his last year) and red (the one in all those beach memes). There are U.S. senators always on TV. But to really know what drives the Garden State’s infamous political world, you gotta know the others — the state lawmakers, the county party bosses, the insiders, the real power-players pulling the strings behind the scenes. They’re the ones who make the laws, raise the taxes, pick the candidates, cut the deals. And they do it without you even knowing.
So let me give you the lowdown on what’s happening — what’s really happening — in Trenton and beyond. I’ll be your guide, because these days it seems like there’s an earthquake every day in Jersey politics.
Like the one that rattled the state last year during a bitter Democratic primary to replace indicted (and now convicted) Sen. Robert Menendez. After months of squabbling and drama between First Lady Tammy Murphy and Congressman Andy Kim — including nasty accusations about buying votes, bullying elected officials, and pressuring hapless college kids — Tammy up and called it quits. That paved the way for Kim to become New Jersey’s newest senator in D.C., that other crazy place where sharp-elbowed politics reign supreme.
What you may not know is: Many months later, there is still speculation about Tammy Murphy’s career in politics.
Most recently, the chatter was that even though Donald Trump won the presidency, Gov. Phil Murphy — a former U.S. ambassador to Germany — or the first lady might become a diplomat in the new administration. Maybe ambassador to Italy? Sources say this idea wasn’t far-fetched. The Murphys, after all, own a villa there. And unlike other Democrats, they have also been relatively friendly with the Trumps.
Two sources told me Trump would have considered Tammy for a job if she wanted it. And Gov. Murphy himself admitted to me in a recent interview: “Having been an ambassador, I would do that job again in a minute and Tammy would do it in a minute.”
But Tammy never raised her hand, and the gig went to someone else. After all, Ambassador Tammy Murphy would have led to a big conundrum: How would the Murphys explain to angry and anxious Democrats if Trump picked Tammy to be a diplomat?
The governor told me there were “zero plans” for Tammy to become a diplomat under Trump. “You have to believe in the mission of the president and what they stand for and what their goals and objectives are,” Murphy said. “In other words, you can’t disconnect, ‘Oh gosh, it’s a nice job and a nice country and a nice residence’ from you’re the president’s representative. … I may have a relationship with Trump — and Tammy does, as well — but that’s big difference between ‘I’m prepared to go out and propagate his agenda.’”
That’s where this newsletter comes in. In a state where everyone seems to be on the take, I have been in the thick of covering the horse-trading and pork-barreling for a decade. Now, I’m taking a deeper look at what’s behind it and bringing it to you once a week.
And what a time to begin. New Jersey will elect a new governor this year, someone to replace the term-limited Murphy, and it’s already a massive race. Eleven major candidates across both parties are running, and they’re all biggies — mayors of the state’s two largest cities, current lawmakers, former lawmakers, a radio host, the leader of a powerful teacher’s union, and a truck driver who once pulled off an incredible upset.
It’s all happening without “the county line,” an infamous primary ballot design that allowed party bosses to hand-pick candidates and influence elections — until it was struck down in court last year, a casualty of the Tammy-Kim showdown. That means the fight for the governor’s mansion could be anyone’s game.
More big news dropped Wednesday when a judge dismissed a bombshell indictment against George Norcross III, maybe the most notorious powerbroker of them all. Those charges last year rattled the state’s political scene. The same for this news.
State Attorney General Matthew Platkin, the ambitious official who brought the charges (and has aggressively suedTrump’s administration of late), quickly filed an appeal, saying fighting corruption is more important than ever in this new age of Trump. Norcross' attorney called on Platkin to resign, accusing him of pushing the charges to bolster a bid for office. (There’s a rumor Platkin may run Congress if a certain lawmaker become governor.) There was speculation over whether the dismissal would dull Platkin’s prosecutorial zeal and political future, while giving back heft to Norcross. Some insiders weren’t shocked, saying even Norcross' enemies wondered whether the case would stick. Others simply quoted Omar’s famous line from “The Wire” — “You come at the king, you best not miss.”
The hubbub wasn’t over. The following day, state Assembly Republicans filed articles of impeachment against Platkin — though it’s unlikely Democrats who control the chamber will move forward with it. Platkin’s response: “I am not going to respond to partisan political attacks.”
So many aftershocks to keep track of. Stay with me. ...
NEXT WEEK: Gov. Murphy dishes to me.
New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy and Gov. Phil Murphy appear in Newark in 2019.NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Hot takes
Let’s talk about that governor’s race. Rep. Mikie Sherrill is clearly the choice of many of the state’s establishment Democrats and has won the big county conventions so far. But every time I speak to a source, I hear the same thing: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is a rising threat to Sherrill’s frontrunner status. That was the buzz after the first Democratic primary debate, when people lined out of the auditorium talking about how Baraka’s progressive bent and one-liners stole the show. ...
On the Republican side, several insiders are surprised about former state Assemblyman (and third-time gubernatorial candidate) Jack Cittarelli. Not that the first major poll in the race showed him as the frontrunner; it was that his lead was so large over former radio host Bill Spadea. Wasn’t this meant to be a wrestling match? Then again, the talk after the hectic, knives-drawn first GOP debate was that for all the shouting, Spadea was the one who really held his composure the most. Maybe he’s had some practice speaking in public. ...
The dismissal of the charges against George Norcross could have a big effect on at least one gubernatorial contender. One of Norcross' closest allies, former state Senate President Steve Sweeney, is running, and insiders felt the charges against his longtime friend and benefactor would hamstring his ability to raise money because Norcross' time and money would be focused on court. Now? A source close to Sweeney said the judge’s decision is “reinvigorating.” Sweeney’s statement: “Today’s decision is yet more proof that political prosecutions have no place in New Jersey or our nation.” ...
Apparently, Gov. Murphy doesn’t want to act like a lame duck. A source close to Murphy said the Democrat is actually feeling “invigorated” by his final year in office. One reason he’s not phoning it in is, well ... cellphones. He wants to ban them in Jersey schools. Expect a huge push for this in the coming months. ...
But some Democrats aren’t thrilled with Murphy’s final state budget proposal, which he rolled out Tuesday. The plan calls for a series of targeted tax increases, on bowling alleys, massage therapy, cigarettes and alcohol, and more. A few Dems exiting Murphy’s speech privately grumbled that voters would have to pay more if they want to enjoy a beer while they bowl. “This is Jim Florio territory,” one source said, referencing the ex-governor’s infamous tax hikes in 1990. A few people even went public with their dismay. “There’s just enough stress around everything that new taxes are hard to sell to anybody,” state Sen. John Burzichelli, D-Gloucester, told me. After all, the entire 80-member state Assembly is on the ballot this year. ...
There was talk last year that Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, was considering a run for governor. But the race seems to be set, and Coughlin told me he ultimately thought twice. “I’ve had the great fortune in the Assembly to make a difference, working to reduce food insecurity and working to keep property taxes down,” he said. “I’m very fortunate in my life. … I’m in a good place.” Of course, there have been rumors that some Dems want to oust state Senate President Nick Scutari, D-Union, maybe with someone from Coughlin’s home county of Middlesex. That would likely mean Coughlin wouldn’t stay as speaker. But is he actively seeking a fifth term in the post? “I’m focusing right now on retaining the majority,” Coughlin said coyly. Stay tuned ...
What others are saying
Some Jersey stories in the news:
- Yes, Murphy revealed his final state budget plan. There was big spending, some tax increases, and lots of uncertainty about funding from Washington that Trump and Republicans could cut. My colleagues Sue Livio and Jelani Gibson break it down on NJ.com.
- Another NJ.com colleague, Spencer Kent, examines the identity crisis Democrats are going through right now, laid bare in the busy and increasingly tense gubernatorial primary.
- Charles Stile, a must-read political columnist for years, wonders on NorthJersey.com that after Platkin’s charges against Norcross failed, will New Jersey politics ever change?
- State lawmakers have been working on their own plans to revamp Jersey’s infamous primary ballot design after the county line was struck down. The state Senate and Assembly approved the bill this week — despite critics who say it’s still bad and party bosses are just trying to hold on to whatever power they can. It’s now up to Murphy whether to sign it into law.
- The New Jersey Moderate Party, founded by former Rep. Tom Malinowski has long been trying to bring fusion voting to New Jersey. It’s a system that essentially allows candidates to appear on the ballot multiple times under different parties. But an appellate court panel yesterday struck down the push and the party is planning an appeal, as reported in Politico.
Tweet of the week
Did you know?
Two of history’s most celebrated inventors had sons who grew up to be governor of the Garden State. That would be William Franklin, son of Ben, who was the state’s last colonial governor, from 1763-1776, before that whole Revolution thing took off. (He and Papa had a big falling out over that.) The other is Charles Edison, the state’s chief from 1941-44, about a decade before Raritan Township in Middlesex County changed its name to Edison in honor of all his dad Tom’s bright ideas in Menlo Park.
About this newsletter
Welcome to What Makes Jersey Run, a weekly newsletter for anyone interested in the always-lively world of Jersey politics and America’s most important governor’s race in 2025. Join NJ.com’s award-winning political reporter Brent Johnson as he gives you the inside look at what really happens behind the scenes in a state rife with scandal, controversy, and power players (some of whom wind up in jail). Brent, who has been covering the craziness in Trenton for more than a decade and knows who pulls the strings, will deliver his exclusive insights on the state of politics and the big campaign right to your inbox.
How to subscribe
This is an exclusive newsletter for NJ.com and our loyal subscribers. But it’s OK if you’re not a subscriber. You can receive a few weeks of “What Makes Jersey Run” as a free trial.
About the author
Brent Johnson is a Central Jersey (yes, it’s real) native who has spent the last 12 years covering politics for NJ.com, winning multiple journalism awards along the way. Before that, he covered local news and sports, including a stint writing about James Madison University athletics in Virginia. He graduated from Rutgers University and sings in a Jersey alt-rock band, The Clydes. You can follow him on X at @johnsb01 and email him at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com.