Mediaboss Marketing

Candidates, from left, Assemblyman John Wisniewski, Phil Murphy, Jim Johnson and Sen. Ray Lesniak attend a Democratic gubernatorial primary debate, Thursday, May 11, 2017, in Newark.(Photo: Julio Cortez, AP / Pool AP)

Democratic candidates for governor sharpened their attacks on Phil Murphy during the partys second and final primary debate Thursday night, calling his progressive values into question and condemning what one called an obscene amount of spending.

Murphy, the wealthy former banker and ambassador who is leading the contest for the nomination, endured the assault with a broad, toothy smile. Rather than punch back at his opponents, Murphy often dismissed them by responding with all due respect and saying, in some instances, that their charges against him were alt-facts, the term made famous by President Donald Trumps gaffe-prone counselor Kellyanne Conway.

The forum, hosted by NJTV and NJ Spotlight at the television stations studio in Newark, was a departure from the more collegial debate two nights earlier, at Stockton University, when the challengers fired at Murphy but when it came to policy they all found themselves mostly in agreement.

Over the course of Thursdays 90-minute debate, the candidates had light moments teasing each other and backing certain ideas, like $15 minimum wage, but largely clashed with each other.

Assemblyman John Wisniewksi and Jim Johnson particularly went after Murphy hard, especially when given the opportunity during the debate to question other candidates. Wisniewski said that Murphys investment portfolio includes companies that sponsor and run pipelines that he says he opposes and companies that produce the fracking fluid that contaminates water.

How can you really expect the people of New Jersey to believe your environmental credentials when your financial portfolio takes a different position than youve taken publicly here in the campaign? Wisniewski said.

Murphy responded, Theres probably no good answer in terms of those investments, adding, I mean what I say about fracking, I mean what I say about the environment.

Wisniewski also cited speech Murphy made while he was the U.S. ambassador to Germany and said that Murphy extolled the virtues of fracking, the controversial process to extract natural gas. Murphy disagreed and said that he was discussing fracking as a geopolitical step to push back on the Russians.

The candidates also condemned Murphys heavy spending $18.4 million so far, more than three times all other candidates combined -- and New Jerseys system of county party bosses endorsing hopefuls and giving them a significant advantage in the primary. Murphy has the backing of all 21 county party chairs, helping to make him the front-runner for the nomination.

Lesniak, a 40-year lawmaker, said the Union County chairman, Assemblyman Jerry Green, told him not to run because were going to get whatever we want from Phil Murphy.

He tried to convince me to get out of the race. That convinced me to get in the race, Lesniak said.

Murphy said that his campaign knocked on thousands of doors, working the phones, shaking hands and earned the support of workers and volunteers around the state. And the money that Murphy has spent, he said, has been for grassroots organizing and party-building.

And asked whether he would support reforms to strip county party committees of their ability to award preferential ballot placement to the candidate of their choice, Murphy said vaguely that he was open to open democracy."

I am participating in a system that exists, he said in an interview after the debate.I did not create this system.

Johnson, a former U.S. Treasury official, repeatedly went after Murphy for his spending and questioned how he could have progressive values after two decades at Goldman Sachs, the bank often vilified by progressives. And, echoing Christie, Johnson said Murphys candidacy is unrealistic because he has promised to fully fund pensions, schools and legalize marijuana, among many other initiatives.

The list of promises that youve made is breathtaking and its unachievable, Johnson said. He added, Youre in bed with the insiders and youre not challenging what theyre doing.

Staff writer Nicholas Pugliese contributed to this report.

Read or Share this story: http://on.app.com/2qbz1q8

The rest is here:
Democrats train fire on Murphy in final primary debate - Asbury Park Press