Incoming N.J. governor plans a swing to the left - and a model for the country

By David Weigel January 15 at 7:00 AM

TRENTON, N.J. — Days before his inauguration as New Jersey’s 56th governor, Phil Murphy had Hollywood on his mind. The 60-year old Democrat had just read a headline about reshoots on “All the Money in the World,” which had been done in a hurry to remove disgraced actor Kevin Spacey from the movie.

“They paid Michelle Williams $1,000 and Mark Wahlberg $1 million for the same work,” Murphy said in an interview. “That’s just outrageous. Equal pay is one thing we want to get to early. We want to say to everyone: New Jersey’s a place where gender does not play a role in how much you get paid.”

Murphy, a former Goldman Sachs financier and ambassador to Germany, had a relatively smooth path to the governor’s office. Outgoing Gov. Chris Christie (R) was deeply unpopular and New Jersey’s Democratic establishment rallied around Murphy, who spent $20 million of his own money to win the June primary. In November, while Virginia’s statewide races became a referendum on President Trump’s administration, Murphy’s 14-point victory was a national afterthought.

Murphy is ready to end his obscurity. On Tuesday, when he is sworn in, New Jersey will become one of just eight states where Democrats run every branch of government. If Murphy has his way, New Jersey will become a proving ground for every liberal policy idea coming into fashion, from legalized marijuana to a $15 minimum wage, from a “millionaire’s tax” to a virtual bill of rights for undocumented immigrants.

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