TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey First Girl Tammy Murphy on Wednesday launched a bid for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in subsequent yr’s contest.

Her nomination, introduced Wednesday, places her in competition to change into the primary girl elected to the New Jersey state Senate. The Democratic main already consists of Rep. Andy Kim, and will embody Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, who has misplaced important occasion help amid federal bribery expenses however has not dominated out working in 2024.

“We’d like a senator who will work on daily basis to decrease the price of residing, defend abortion rights, finish the epidemic of gun violence, and defend our democracy,” she stated in a virtually four-minute video posted on-line.

Murphy, 58, is a frequent attender of occasions alongside her husband, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, and has named maternal and little one well being and the surroundings as her high points throughout her time as first woman — points she highlighted in her announcement.

Tammy Murphy, a Virginia native and College of Virginia graduate, labored in finance at Goldman Sachs alongside Phil Murphy earlier than the couple settled in New Jersey. They’ve 4 kids.

Democrats gained not less than 5 seats within the Meeting on this yr’s midterm legislative elections, which is a boon for the governor who’s serving the final two years of his second time period.

These successes might translate into essential help within the district for the primary woman, who has campaigned alongside the governor to extend her occasion’s legislative majority. A lot of main county occasion chairs choose polling areas for candidates, and help from the county occasion usually results in electoral success.

Murphy is well-known in New Jersey political circles. Earlier than the governor first ran for workplace in 2017, she labored to create a assume tank that he makes use of to pitch coverage concepts. She is President Emeritus of the New Jersey Inexperienced Economic system Council and launched Nurture NJ, an initiative aimed toward selling toddler and maternal well being and lowering maternal mortality, with the aim of lowering maternal mortality by 50% by 2026.

Tammy Murphy, a former Republican, spoke about rising up in a Republican-leaning district in Virginia and having beforehand donated to the occasion. She grew to become a Democrat earlier than her husband ran for president.

Tammy Murphy was named in a gender discrimination lawsuit this yr introduced by state troopers who labored the element chargeable for offering safety for the governor. The lawsuit alleges that Tammy Murphy denied a police officer the usage of the service on Murphy’s property to pump breast milk.

In an announcement this week, she denied the allegations, calling them “outrageous and categorically false.”

Menendez has pleaded not responsible to the federal expenses. Prosecutors stated the senator and his spouse, Nadine Menendez, accepted money bribes, gold bullion and a luxurious automobile over the previous 5 years from three New Jersey businessmen in change for a wide range of corrupt acts. He’s additionally accused of being an unregistered agent on behalf of Egypt.

He didn’t say whether or not he would search re-election in 2024, however stated after his indictment that he was “not going wherever.” He was first appointed to the Senate seat in 2006 following the emptiness brought on by the election of Jon Corzine as governor of New Jersey. Since then, Menendez has gained three Senate elections.

Kim, a three-term consultant for the state’s third District, introduced his candidacy simply in the future after the corruption expenses in opposition to Menendez, saying he believes New Jersey deserves higher.