New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy launches bid to oust Sen. Robert Menendez

New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy Wednesday launched a 2024 Democratic campaign to unseat scandal-tarred Sen. Robert Menendez.

The wife of Gov. Phil Murphy said she was jumping into the race to protect abortion rights and fight climate change and stressed her can-do spirit as a mom and former financial executive.

“We need a senator who will work every single day to lower the cost of living, protect abortion rights, end the gun violence epidemic, and defend our democracy,” Murphy said in a statement.

Although she didn’t mention Menendez by name, her four-minute launch video flashed his face alongside far right-wing Republicans like Sen. Tommy Tuberville, D-Alabama, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky.

“Right now, Washington is filled with too many people who are more interested in getting rich or getting on camera than getting things done for you,” Tammy Murphy said.

Tammy Murphy joins Rep. Andy Kim, D-New Jersey, a rising star from a suburban central Jersey district, in the race to topple Menendez.

Early polls show Kim with a massive lead, but analysts warn it’s early in the race and more candidates could throw their hats in the ring for a rare shot at the powerful slot.

Tammy Murphy may face questions about her lack of elected experience.

The first lady is also a former lifelong Republican who voted in GOP primaries until 2014 at age 49, which could be a red flag for loyal Democratic voters.

Kim said she owes voters an explanation about her relatively late-in-life political conversion.

Menendez says he plans to run for reelection but polls show he is widely unpopular among Democratic voters following his sweeping indictment.

He is accused of taking bribes from representatives of Egypt in exchange for protecting the nation’s massive U.S. aid program against allegations of human rights abuses and other questions.

Menendez, whose namesake son is a congressman from a Hudson County-based district, faces trial in May, just a month before the primary.

Despite the drama, the Senate seat is considered very likely to remain in Democratic hands as New Jersey tends to vote strongly for Democrats, particularly in presidential election years like 2024.

The first lady has already won the backing of some powerful New Jersey county Democratic party chiefs.

The traditional Democratic machine bosses wield unusual power to determine the placement of candidates on the primary ballot which in turn can effectively deliver votes to a preferred candidate in their fiefdoms.

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