TRENTON, N.J. -- Voters on Tuesday chose a wealthy former Goldman Sachs executive and Republican Gov. Chris Christie's top deputy to run to replace the unpopular governor.
Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno won in the first statewide primary since President Donald Trump took office. The two candidates will face off Nov. 7 in one of only two gubernatorial 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.
Murphy, a former administration ambassador to Germany under President Barack Obama who poured more than $20 million into the contest, attempted to link Guadagno to Christie during his victory speech in Newark and reiterated a promise to oppose Trump.
"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."
Guadagno, who was twice elected on the ticket with Christie, has gone to great lengths to try to highlight their differences. In her victory speech Tuesday, she contrasted herself with the term-limited governor without mentioning his name.
"I'm running for governor based on my values, based on my record, based on my principles," she said. "My principles are Main Street principles."
Christie remained neutral during the campaign but said Tuesday that he voted for Guadagno, his top deputy since they were elected in 2009. He has said he would campaign if asked, but it's unclear whether his assistance would help or hurt, since about three-quarters of voters disapprove of his job performance.
"I've worked with her for eight years, and I believe that she's the best person in the Republican primary to represent the party in the fall and to retain the governorship," Christie said.
Sharyn Kingston, 25, of Freehold, said she was wary of Murphy's "Goldman Sachs connections" but that she voted for him because he's best-suited for the job and can win the election.
"I'm not an Occupy Wall Street type, but I am afraid of big money in politics, and he made it look like he was trying to buy the nomination," the legal secretary said.
John Parilla, 75, an immigration lawyer from Alpine, voted for Guadagno and said he likes the experience she would take to the job. He said he doesn't see her as a Christie clone but does see similarities between Murphy former Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, another Goldman Sachs alumnus.
Guadagno defeated Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, Nutley Commissioner Steve Rogers, Ocean County landscape business owner and actor Joseph "Rudy" Rullo and Atlantic County engineer Hirsh Singh.
Murphy faced challenges from former Teaneck firefighter Bill Brennan, one-time Clinton administration Treasury official Jim Johnson, state Sen. Ray Lesniak, Assemblyman John Wisniewski and Tenafly Councilman Mark Zinna.
A Section on 06/07/2017