NJ Governor Race Called: Murphy Wins 2nd Term: AP

NEW JERSEY — After a full night and day of deliberation and vote counting, Gov. Phil Murphy has been called as the winner of New Jersey's race for governor, according to the Associated Press. Murphy is now the first Democrat in New Jersey to win a second term in 40 years.

The race was not the sweeping win Murphy's camp had hoped for — Murphy earned 50 percent, or 1,210,997 votes when the race was called. Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli earned 49.23 percent or 1,191,703 votes.

There were points during election night on Tuesday when the Democrat was trailing his Republican challenger by 50,000 votes, holding out hope that urban strongholds in Essex and Passaic County would redeem him.

During the respective election night parties, the candidates addressed the crowds and families about the nail-biting results flowing in. Murphy told his camp, "We're all sorry that tonight could not yet be the celebration that we wanted it to be — But as I said: When every vote is counted — and every vote will be counted — we hope to have a celebration again."

Ciattarelli sent a similar message with a calmer, happier tone, saying, "This is what I love about this state, if you study its history: Every single time it's gone too far off track, the people of this state have pushed, pulled and prodded it right back to where it needs to be."

For hours after polls closed, Murphy's sole tweet was a retweet of confidence from a member of his campaign, saying "When all the votes are counted, we will win."

Murphy was a former Goldman Sachs executive and ambassador to Germany before taking office as governor. He focused his re-election campaign on his progressive track record in office throughout the pandemic. Another focal point of the campaign was the comparison of Ciattarelli to former Gov. Chris Christie as well as lumping Ciattarelli in with the Donald Trump camp.