Early polling shows New Jersey Democratic Governor Phil Murphy with high job approval ratings as the electorate approaches the June, 2021 primaries.  He is viewed as a governor of both empathy and principle, and this perception by New Jerseyans is highly unlikely to change, especially when contrasted with the Trumpian toxicity that continues to afflict both the state and national Republican parties.

Yet regardless of the margin in the universally anticipated Murphy victory this November, it can be said that Phil Murphy has already created a legacy of social justice that is viewed as a model for other governors throughout America.  This legacy has two components: 1) Environmental justice; and 2) Voting rights for Americans of color.

“Environmental racism” can best be defined as the disproportionate environmental harm to people of color resulting from governmental practices, including 1) the carrying out of governmental functions or 2)  the permission of government given to private industry to carry out environmental practices that are deleterious to the health of the residents of abutting African-American neighborhoods.  “Environmental justice” refers to policies that have as their objective the elimination of environmental racism.

I previously authored a column about Murphy’s landmark achievement in the arena of environmental justice, to wit, his signing into law his environmental justice legislation  last September ( https://www.insidernj.com/biden-murphy-environmental-justice-partnership/).  This act is unquestionably the strongest environmental justice law in the nation.

The second component of the Murphy social justice legacy – the elimination of barriers to people of color exercising their voting franchise – was enshrined in the books of law on March 30 with Governor Murphy’s signing legislation enabling New Jersey residents to vote early and in person on machines.  He received national acclaim because he signed the legislation at a virtual press conference the same day that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law the “Jim Crow in a Suit and Tie Act,” a despicably shameful law with an unquestionably racist and pernicious intent.

The nationally renowned civil rights activist Stacey Abrams attended the virtual press conference, and she hailed Governor Murphy as “leading the way” against the efforts of Republican governors and lawmakers throughout the nation to restrict African-American exercise of the right to vote. ( https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2021/03/30/contrasting-new-jersey-to-georgia-murphy-signs-early-voting-law-1370539).

And it must be said that New Jersey can be proud of four courageous Republican state senators and eleven Assembly members who voted for the Murphy early voting legislation, in bold defiance of the efforts of Republican Party leaders in New Jersey and nationally to suppress the African-American vote in future elections.

So for any New Jerseyan for whom the civil rights for all Americans, regardless of color is a central and compelling belief, the Murphy social justice legacy is a special source of pride.  He has succeeded in enacting the legislative framework for this legacy during his first term, and he doubtless will devote his second term to the full implementation of it.

When Phil Murphy was elected Governor of New Jersey in 2017, few predicted that he would create any legacy that would have a national impact.  The tendency among the members of Trenton’s chattering class was to dismiss him as a dilettante tycoon from Wall Street who would be a mere reprise of Jon Corzine, a man out of touch with the populace and without the requisite political skills to leave any significant impact on the socio-economic landscape of the Garden State.

Murphy has emerged as the foremost Democratic New Jersey governor over the past half century (with Tom Kean being the top Republican chief executive).  If for any reason Joe Biden does not run for reelection as president in 2024, I fully expect that the putative next Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris will have Phil Murphy at the head of her short list as her vice-presidential running mate.

Throughout America, television viewers know Phil Murphy as an exemplar of progressive politics of a decidedly non- socialist bent. He could not have achieved his success on Wall Street had he practiced or preached the politics or economics of Fabian Socialism.

The history of the Boston Irish-American community is one of overcoming bigotry and achieving remarkable success in the political arena.  The Boston Irish political style is one of warm affability, and this is the core of the Murphy political style.  It is a style most welcome to New Jersey voters after enduring eight years of the dour GOP Governor Chris Christie.   The combination of the Murphy political style and his non-socialist progressive political philosophy has made him a natural star in the firmament of New Jersey politics.

The Boston political/socio-economic culture during much of the Twentieth Century was beset by an intense conflict between two schools of thought on the issue of racism. The progressive school was dedicated to the elimination of racism in all its forms and manifestations, particularly in the areas of housing, jobs, and education.  The reactionary school advocated a total accommodation of racism and in some cases, an advocacy of it.

This morning, Americans turned on the television and were absolutely sickened by the racist brutality practiced by police in Virginia against a patriotic African-American soldier, Lieutenant Nazario. People who deny this racism are racist themselves.

Race continues to be the most divisive national issue. Moral leadership on both the state and national level is sorely needed.  By his proud legacy as America’s leading social justice governor, Phil Murphy has demonstrated that he can provide this moral leadership most effectively, both in New Jersey and throughout our nation.

Alan Steinberg served as Regional Administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as Executive Director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.