NEWARK – Phil Murphy was downcast, but defiant Wednesday afternoon as he tried to make sense of this week’s election.

He began by saying a “free and fair election” is a hallmark of democracy, but his speech at the state’s office in this city was more than a mere tribute to American democracy.

He was also ready to fight.

“If there is an attack on the Garden State or any of its communities from Washington, I will fight back with every fiber of my being.”

That sounded a bit cryptic, even odd. Is he anticipating a military invasion?

Asked to explain, the governor said one must assume that federal action of some sort will try to weaken New Jersey laws protecting abortion rights and controlling guns.

Then, there is Donald Trump’s mass deportation threat, which prompted the governor to muse if he really intends to round up immigrants.

If so, Murphy said the state will use whatever power it has to stand with the immigrant community.

At the same time, Murphy said that when he became governor, Trump was president and the men did work together during COVID and when Trump granted federal approval to building a new portal bridge on a rail line into Manhattan. So that can happen again.

As for the election itself, Murphy acknowledged how the Democrats’ winning margins were much lower than 2020. He called the whole episode a sobering experience.

Kamala Harris won New Jersey by about five points; Joe Biden won it by three times that.

He credited Republicans for playing their cards well, saying that their talk of crime, immigration and a poor economy resonated despite evidence to the contrary.

For example, various studies put New Jersey’s violent crime rate as among the lowest in the nation.

The governor also acknowledged the Democrats’ problem with Hispanics, which were once a dependable base. He said part of it is simple messaging, but the party also needs to reassess how it meets the needs of the Hispanic community.

And as far as Democrats losing their strength in New Jersey, Murphy admitted:

“Our race (in 2021) may have been the canary in the coal mine.”

That was when Murphy beat Republican Jack Ciattarelli by only 3 points or so.

It was a pretty candid admission, but how far does it go?

In some ways, every election is its own story.

A year after that 2021 election, Democrats all over the nation did much better than expected in the midterms. And last year, Democrats gained six seats in the state Legislation, beating back what was thought to be a strong Republican challenge. So maybe that canary was wrong.

Which brings us to this year and the power of Trump at the top of the ticket.

Said Murphy:

“He has an uncanny ability to connect with people – even if it’s not in their best interests.”

The governor was also asked about the race and gender issue. He replied that he didn’t think it was at play in a very diverse state such as New Jersey.

But Murphy said that may have been the case nationally, “which sucks.”