Governor Murphy Delivers Remarks on the 2024 Election Results

Good afternoon, everyone.

Thank you for being here, I know it was a long night for us all.

The hallmark of our American democracy has always been our commitment to free and fair elections. It is the people, not the powerful, who choose our leaders.

And the American people have spoken.

For many of us, what they have said is painful and difficult to process.

But, in this country, we respect the will of the people, and we abide by the results of our elections.

As Governor, I serve all New Jerseyans, no matter who they voted for. And just as I have worked to better the lives of the 4.5 million New Jerseyans who voted in 2020, regardless of whom they cast their ballot for, I will serve all New Jerseyans with the same commitment after this election.

And, by the way, the number looks like it’s going to land somewhere between 4.2 and 4.3 million. And remember, 2020 was an all-time-record and it was vote-by-mail exclusively. So the amount of folks who showed up and voted this time, whether it was through the mail, in-person, early, or on game day is a very impressive number.

This year, there is no doubt the margins in our state were far tighter. And by the way, if you look at other similar states, you’ll notice that their margins shrank just about the same. Illinois, New York, Maryland, ourselves, California, all came in somewhere between 10 and 12 points relative to the performance in 2020.

Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz ran a campaign grounded in so many of our state’s shared values. And I thank them on a hard-fought race.

And, as we look toward the future, our Administration is committed to working with President Trump, wherever we can, to advance New Jersey’s interests, just as we did throughout his first term.

Our commitment, again, is not to any person or party, but to the people of New Jersey and to the rule of law. And it is precisely for that reason — as we respect the peaceful transition of power — that, if there is any attack on the Garden State or on any of its communities from Washington, I will fight back with every fiber of my being.

But just as it is our responsibility to continue to stand up against any threat to our state, or to our people, it is also our responsibility to take any opportunity that presents itself to work with the President to protect and uplift the people of our state. Because that is what responsible leaders do.

In many respects, we began our Administration on this same note, with President Trump having been sworn in the year before.

Indeed, we governed alongside the Trump Administration for our first three years.

And while my Administration stood up fiercely during President Trump's first term on things like defending a woman's right to choose, advancing common-sense gun safety policies, and protecting our immigrant communities, we will continue to do so on all of these fronts and many more, but we also showed our ability to work with him, and his team, to advance policies and initiatives that make life better for New Jerseyans.

In June of 2020, by example, I sat across the table from President Trump in Bedminster and urged him to authorize the Portal North Bridge project, one of the most critical infrastructure initiatives in the nation.

The President heard my argument, and green-lit the project, literally that night. And that project is well underway. It is on track. It is under budget. It is on time. And it will be completed next year. And it will be a game-changer.

And, likewise, during the dark days of the pandemic, I and our team worked closely with the Trump Administration to ensure that New Jersey had access to every federal resource we needed to save lives.

And, as I’ve said many times before, I will never forget their help. Especially in that period of March, April, May, and June, two thousand and twenty.

So the point is that we have been down this road before, and when we have put New Jersey, and our shared values first, we have emerged stronger.

We have faced extreme adversity before, and when we refused to give in, we have emerged tougher.

We have been fearful of what the future holds before, our allies and adversaries alike waiting to see what path we choose. And when we have stayed true to our values, we have emerged more united as a nation, as a state, and as a people.

Well, I know it may sound counterintuitive at a moment such as this—but this is a nation that celebrates what unites us as much as what sets us apart. A nation where you can vote as you please, pray as you choose, and be who you are, and despite it all, and even in a moment like this, we are still united by a common sense of purpose.

America demands work from each successive generation. It demands we be active citizens.

It is not easy.

No one ever said it would be.

But it is good and noble work, that is worth doing. Even as the dust settles on this election.

So today, at a time of such great division in our nation, when the bonds between our fellow citizens have grown so frayed, let New Jersey be united in making our state, and as a model, indeed, our nation, the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

The people of New Jersey have never stopped believing in our great American experiment. And today is no exception.

There is more work to be done, for sure. And I promise you: we will do it.

May God continue to bless the Great State of New Jersey and the United States of America.