Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) lost a key county convention to New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy in Bergen County Monday.
Murphy beat Kim with wide margins by 63.7%, receiving 738 votes compared to Kim’s 419. Both are seeking to unseat Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who has not yet said if he will run for reelection in the wake of his indictments.
“I am really thrilled at the huge momentum here in Bergen County,” Murphy said. “Deep appreciation. Here we go — we’ve got more work to do.”
Murphy had the endorsement of Bergen County Democratic Chairman Paul Juliano, among a list of nearly 100 other high-ranking Democrats in the county who endorsed her.
Kim remained optimistic about the future of his campaign ahead of the state’s June 4 primary, stating he believed he will “take Bergen in June.”
“We knew this was going to be a challenge,” Kim said. “But the fact that over 400 people were willing to stand up against the county chair, willing to stand up against the governor and the governor’s family, I think this was closer than I thought it was going to be.”
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Kim leads the polls and has won five other counties across the Garden State. Bergen County is Murphy’s third win and is significant because it encompasses 10% of the Democratic electorate. All five counties that Kim has won, Warren, Monmouth, Burlington, Hunterdon, and Sussex combined represent 14% of the Democratic electorate. Murphy also won Passaic County and Union County over the weekend.
Murphy’s win in Bergen County means she will be placed on the critical “county-line.” Kim is currently suing 19 county clerks across New Jersey, saying the current system “manipulates” voters. Winning the county line gives candidates an advantage as they are more visually prominent on the ballot.