Gov. Murphy Heckled In Asbury Park As NJ Businesses Reopen: VIDEO
ASBURY PARK – He may have a 77 percent approval rating, but not everybody agrees with what Gov. Phil Murphy is doing in his management of the coronavirus crisis.
Murphy talked to NBC's Today show on Monday about the thought process that went into reopening parts of New Jersey even as he dealt with a heckler who called him a "traitor."
Murphy told the "Today" show that the man had a right to say what he wanted, but he said "overwhelmingly, the majority of folks get it."
Watch New Jersey @GovMurphy’s full interview with @savannahguthrie about the state’s phase 2 reopening today, recent protests, his dinner with the president and much more. pic.twitter.com/2tITDEBs05
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 15, 2020
Monday promises to be New Jersey's biggest reopening day since Murphy issued a stay-at-home order and closed nonessential businesses on March 21. Read more: NJ's Big Reopen Day: Here's What You Can Do In Coronavirus Crisis
But not everybody is pleased with the plan. Just last week, Asbury Park even challenged Murphy by planning to reopen indoor dining on Monday before they were stopped by a court order. Read more: Asbury Park Reverses Reopen Plan After Gov. Murphy's Court Order
Murphy continued to defend his actions on Monday, saying New Jersey and New York, once the epicenters of the outbreak, now have the lowest growth rates in the nation.
New Jersey has also seen dramatic drop in new daily coronavirus cases since businesses were either shut or restricted to pickup and delivery services, sliding from a high of 4,427 on April 23 to 305 on Sunday. Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
More businesses will be allowed to resume next week, on June 22, and even more reopenings are planned after that. Read more: Gov. Murphy: 'Hard Dates' In NJ Coronavirus Reopening Blueprint
This article originally appeared on the Asbury Park Patch