In Bergen County, over 100 Democrats back Tammy Murphy for Senate

Juliano delivers huge number of endorsements in county that produces more than 10% of statewide Democratic primary vote

 a strong demonstration of party organizational support, more than 100 Bergen County Democratic leaders and elected officials today endorsed Tammy Murphy for U.S. Senate, a move that validates the personal endorsement of county chairman Paul Juliano in November.

The depth of backing by local, county, and state Democrats makes Murphy the favorite to win the coveted organization line at the party convention in March.  Bergen County makes up more than 10% of the total vote in a statewide Democratic primary, and has the second-most number of registered Democrats in the state behind Essex.

Murphy’s endorsements include the entire Democratic legislative delegation, nine countywide Democratic officeholders, including County Executive James Tedesco and County Clerk John Hogan, 25 Democratic mayors, and 61 of the 67 Democratic municipal chairs.

“Bergen County Democrats are proud to support Tammy Murphy for U.S. Senate because of Tammy’s deep commitment to standing up for our families and communities,” Juliano said.  “For years, Tammy has made it a priority to build strong connections on the ground here in Bergen County to best understand our values and what matters to our families. Tammy has been a relentless fighter for New Jersey’s families, bringing real and significant change to our county and state, and will continue to do so while in the Senate.”

Among Murphy’s supporters is Assemblywoman Ellen Park (D-Englewood Cliffs), the lone Korean American in the New Jersey Legislature.  Murphy’s main rival, Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown), is seeking to become the first Korean American to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Bergen County has a large Korean American population – enough that ballots are printed in Korean as well as English and Spanish.  In Palisades Park, where a majority of residents are of Korean descent, Democratic Municipal Chairman James Rotundo, a former mayor, has endorsed Murphy, but the mayor, Paul Kim, has not yet taken sides.  In Fort Lee, where roughly 25% of residents are Korean Americans, Mayor Mark Sokolich and Municipal Chairman Marcantonio Marcri are for Murphy.

Of the ten largest municipalities in the county – representing about 35% of the population – seven municipal chairs, including the venerable Lynn Hurwitz of Hackensack,  and six of the eight Democratic mayors – are with Murphy.

State Sens. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge), Gordon Johnson (D-Englewood) and Joseph Lagana (D-Paramus) have endorsed Murphy, along with six Assemblymembers: Gary Schaer (D-Passaic), Clinton Calabrese (D-Cliffside Park), Shama Haider (D-Tenafly), Lisa Swain (D-Fair Lawn), Christopher Tully (D-Bergenfield), and Park.  Two Democratic congressmen representing Bergen County, Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) and Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), have already endorsed Murphy for Senate.

In addition to Juliano, Murphy’s backers include Democratic Vice Chair Balpreet Grewal-Virk, all five Democratic State Committee members, all five Democratic district chairs, and the seven county commissioners – Mary Amoroso, Rafael Marte, Germaine Ortiz, Thomas Sullivan, Steven Tanelli, Joan Voss, and Tracy Silna Zur.

“I am humbled and profoundly grateful to Bergen County for their overwhelming support and enthusiasm for my campaign, stated Murphy. “Over the last several years I have enjoyed building relationships with the incredible families and communities of Bergen County.  Whether it’s attending events like the Cultural Society of Bergen to breakfast at Fisher’s Cafe in Fair Lawn to participating in Get Out The Vote efforts in Ridgefield, I have been deeply engaged with the community.  I thank Chairman Juliano for his leadership and look forward to working together to tackle some of the biggest issues facing our families and serving all New Jerseyans in the U.S. Senate.”

The mayors backing Murphy are Arvin Amatorio (Bergenfield), Thomas Calabrese (Cliffside Park), Brian Bernstein (Demarest), Michael McPartland (Edgewater), Michael Wildes (Englewood), Kurt Peluso (Fair Lawn), Violetta Berisha (Fairview), Richard Rigoglioso (Garfield), Kristine Morieko (Glen Rock), Heather Wasser (Haworth), Michale Sheinfeld (Hillsdale), Maruo Raguseo (Little Ferry), Sott Luna (Lodi), Robert Giangeruso (Lyndhurst), Richard Bolan (Maywood), Dennis Vaccaro (Moonachie), Michael Putrino (New Milford), Keith Misciagna (Park Ridge), Hugo Jimenez (Ridgefield), Paul Vagianos (Ridgewood), Thomas Papaleo (River Edge), Frank Nunziato (Rutherford), Bob White (Saddle Brook), Mark Zinna, (Tenafly), Sarlo and Sokolich.

See here for a full list of endorsements in New Jersey’s 2024 congressional contests.