Amid a primary scrap over rhetoric and reality, the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters (NJLCV) Victory Fund today announced plans to spend $130,000 between now and June 6 to help candidate Phil Murphy win the Democratic Gubernatorial Primary.

The money will be spent on a campaign highlighting Murphy’s plans for safe drinking water and green jobs and holding corporate polluters accountable, and will consist of digital ads and three mail pieces in support of the front-runner, a former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and former Goldman Sachs executive.

The campaign is the first-ever in a New Jersey governor’s race for the Conservation Voters Super PAC, which started in 2013.

“The NJLCV Victory Fund believes it’s important make our biggest investment ever because of Phil Murphy’s commitment to 100% clean energy by 2050 and his unique ability to restore New Jersey to a position of environmental leadership at the national level,” said Drew Tompkins, of the Victory Fund. “With the continued assaults on the environment coming out of Washington, it’s critical that New Jersey elects a leader who will protect our state’s water, open spaces, and air from the disastrous policies of the Trump Administration while also developing clean energy solutions that will make us a model for the rest of the country.”

NJLCV was the first statewide environmental organization to endorse Murphy, in February, citing his commitment to environmental protection, leadership skills, and vision for making the state a national and international leader in combating climate change. Climate advocate and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore endorsed Murphy last week, citing many of the same attributes.

A recent polling memo prepared by the Mellman Group on behalf of the NJLCV Victory Fund found strong support for Murphy and his agenda. The poll found Murphy holding a 30-point lead, in part because his 100% clean energy plan had support among 86% of likely Democratic Primary voters. Significantly, half the Democratic Primary electorate self-identifies as ‘environmentalists.’ View the polling memo here.

Of course, Murphy’s primary opponents strongly contest his environmental commitment.

At the NJTV debate two weeks ago, Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-19) noted that Murphy financially backs fracking companies, even as he claims to be a fierce clean water advocate. The assemblyman’s campaign even set up a website to highlight what they describe as a gulf between campaign rhetoric and record.

Last week, Wisniewski Campaign Manager Kevin O’Keefe slapped resoundingly at the front-runner in the aftermath of Gore’s endorsement.

“It’s only fitting that former Vice President Al Gore feels compelled in his endorsement of Phil Murphy to mention how Phil was an original supporter of the former Vice President’s start-up venture,” he said. It’s clear that Al Gore was bought and paid for just like the 21 party chairs. Murphy’s dirty energy portfolio is his defining stance towards the environment. Phil chooses profits over energy policy. Shame on the League of Conservation Voters and Al Gore. They must both explain how they can turn a blind eye to Phil’s dirty energy portfolio – which is the only environmental policy that matters.”

But the League sees it differently.