Democrat Murphy Presents Oliver as His Candidate for Lieutenant Governor
NEWARK – Democratic gubernatorial nominee Phil Murphy for the first time publicly this morning stood with his choice for lieutenant governor: Speaker Emeritus Sheila Oliver of East Orange, in a room packed with party people dripping with summer sweat in the thick of the brick clad city where the impassioned policy nerd was born.
“I have asked Speaker Emeritus Sheila Oliver to be my lieutenant governor,” announced Murphy, at which point shouts of “Sheila! Sheila! Sheila!” engulfed the room. “And with the help of the people of New Jersey, beginning with this room, Sheila Oliver will be the next lieutenant governor of the state of New Jersey.”
He hit the bullet points:
Public schools improvement; affordable college; property tax relief for the middle class and urban cities; LBGTQ and minorities safeguards; better place for small business; wealthy and corporations to pay their fair share; equal pay for equal work.
“Sheila Oliver has stood for everything Kim Guadagno has stood against,” said Murphy, slapping at the Republican rival he leads in the general election by 27 points.
“Chris Christie and Kim Guadagno have lost touch,” the Democratic candidate for governor added, promising “common sense progressive solutions.”
Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman Leroy Jones was in the room, and worked the crowd prior to remarks made by Murphy and Oliver. Democratic State Party Committee Chairman John Currie likewise spoke. Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-32) and Assemblyman Craig Coughlin (d-19) attended the announcement, but only Prieto stood at the front of the room in a visible political gaggle along with Tammy Murphy, Charles Williams, Jones, and Currie.
When Murphy brought up Oliver, the crowd of Essex Democrats started singing, Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t she Lovely?”
Buoyed by a crowd that included state Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (D-29), Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, former Governor Dick Codey, state Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-28), Senator Nia Gill (D-34), Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-29), Assemblyman Tom Giblin (D-34), Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (D-29), and many others, Oliver thanked Murphy for the honor of running on his ticket.
She ticked off those progressive groups that have backed her over the years.
“I have never forgotten who elected me,” Murphy’s LG pick told a very happy and receptive crowd.
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