Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) joined moderator Chuck Todd for an interview this morning on Meet the Press. See below for rush text highlights and early rush transcript. This transcript is not in its final form and may change. Final official transcript will be available later this afternoon.

VIDEO: ‘There’s a lot of hurt out there’

RUSH TEXT HIGHLIGHTS:

On takeaways from Tuesday’s close win: “Thank God we put the programs in place … had we not, we might have been swept away as well.” Adds, “It’s quite clear there’s a lot of hurt out there. And there are a lot of kitchen tables that we need to connect more deeply with and help folks get through this period.”

CHUCK TODD: So let me ask you this, look on one hand, you made history. First Democrat to win re-election and I know you’re going to say that, and how difficult that was and, and you know, whether you win by a vote, I get it. But I’m sure you were surprised that it was as close as it was. What lesson do you take away from this squeaker?

GOV. PHIL MURPHY: Yeah, listen, I’m happy to have made history. I got more votes this time than last time so that’s all for the good. A couple of reactions: thank God we put the programs in place, we put in place, the actions we took, whether it’s expanding pre-K, raising the minimum wage, investing in all-time record levels in infrastructure, because I think had we not, we might have been swept away as well. And secondly, Chuck, it’s quite clear there’s a lot of hurt out there. And there are a lot of kitchen tables that we need to connect more deeply with and help folks get through this period, whether they lost a loved one, a job, a small business, they’re frustrated by the ongoing pandemic or economic recovery, whatever it may be. I like what we’re doing. That’s quite clear, without — without it, we might have been swept away. But we want to reach deep, more deeply into more families in our state.

Gov. Murphy: “The whole Build Back Better debate, it feels very abstract from here. New Jersey is doing it.”

CHUCK TODD: Do you agree with the state party chair, LeRoy Jones, who said this in The New York Times on Thursday, “The paralysis in Washington has worked its way here in New Jersey. The dysfunction has caused people to take pause.” Do you agree?

GOV. PHIL MURPHY: I think, LeRoy —  I think to a certain extent LeRoy has put his finger on one of the factors. You know, it’s remarkable. The debate in Washington feels — although this infrastructure bill on Friday, by the way, is a game changer. And we’re the most densely populated state in America, so it’s a particular game changer for New Jersey. But on the whole Build Back Better debate, it feels very abstract from here. New Jersey is doing it — expanding pre-K, expanding childcare, funding public education, making housing more affordable, college more affordable, health care more affordable. So you look at that debate in Washington and it —  folks feel like “well, I wonder if this would work.” And I’m screaming out “Listen, look at New Jersey, it is working.” We’re doing this stuff, and we know what works. And there’s a fair amount of that as well, Chuck.

On possible mandate fatigue relief: “There’s mandate fatigue everywhere, including with yours truly … We’re not there yet, but please God we can get there sooner than later.”

CHUCK TODD: Mandate fatigue. Everybody has it. I think you know it. Probably people that abide by the rules have it. Considering that that seemed to be a little bit of a motivator for some, are you at all thinking about some relief on any of your mandates?

GOV. PHIL MURPHY: Listen, there’s mandate fatigue everywhere, including with yours truly. So let there be no doubt about that. At the moment, no, but my, my hope is particularly with our kids under the age of 12 now being able to get the vaccine, that we will someday, sooner than later, be able to lift the mask mandate that we have in schools. That that is my fervent hope. We’re not there yet, but please God we can get there sooner than later. We’re got to get there safely, responsibly, but I believe we can get there, and I hope it’s sooner than later.

EARLY RUSH TRANSCRIPT: 

CHUCK TODD:

Joining me now is Democratic Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey, who expected easy reelection win. Turned into a big of a squeaker, a sign of the tough national landscape facing Democrats. So governor Murphy, welcome back to Meet the Press, sir.

GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY:

Good to be back, Chuck. Thanks for having me.

CHUCK TODD:

So let me ask you this. Look, on one hand, you made history. First Democrat to win reelection. And I know you’re going to say that, how difficult that was. And, you know, whether you win by a vote, I get it. But I’m sure you were surprised that it was as close as it was. What lesson do you take away from this squeaker?

GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY:

Yeah, listen, I’m happy to have made history. I got more votes this time than last time, so that’s all for the good. A couple of reactions. Thank God we put the programs in place we put in place, the actions we took, whether it’s expanding pre-K, raising the minimum wage, investing at all-time record levels in infrastructure because I think, had we not, we might’ve been swept away as well.

And secondly, Chuck, it’s quite clear there’s a lot of hurt out there. And there are a lot of kitchen tables that we need to connect more deeply with and help folks get through this period, whether they lost a loved one, a job, a small business, they’re frustrated by the ongoing pandemic or economic recovery, whatever it may be. I like what we’re doing, that’s quite clear. Without it, we might’ve been swept away. But we want to reach more deeply into more families in our state.

CHUCK TODD:

Do you agree with the state party chair, LeRoy Jones, who said this to The New York Times on Thursday: “The paralysis in Washington has worked its way here in New Jersey. The dysfunction has caused people to take pause”? Do you agree?

GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY:

I think to a certain extent, LeRoy has put his finger on one of the factors. You know, it’s remarkable. Although this infrastructure bill on Friday, by the way, is a game changer, and we’re the most densely populated state in America, so it’s a particular game changer for New Jersey.

But on the whole Build Back Better debate, it feels very abstract from here. New Jersey is doing it, expanding pre-K, expanding childcare, funding public education, making housing more affordable, college more affordable, health care more affordable.

So you look at that debate in Washington and folks feel like, “Well, I wonder if this would work.” And I’m screaming out, “Listen, look at New Jersey. It is working. We’re doing this stuff and we know it works.” And I think there’s a fair amount of that as well, Chuck.

CHUCK TODD:

I want to ask you about a comment you made in 2019 that got uttered over and over again in TV ads. Let me play it.

GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY (RECORDED):

If you’re a one-issue voter and tax rate is your issue, either a family or a business, if that’s the only basis upon which you’re going to make a decision, we’re probably not your state.

CHUCK TODD:

Governor, I’ve been covering New Jersey elections since the early ’90s. And I have to tell you, taxes has been one issue for a lot of voters in New Jersey. And it has led to a lot of Republican victories in New Jersey. Do you regret that comment?

GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY:

First of all, it didn’t lead to a Republican victory this year, importantly. Now, that’s taken out of context, Chuck. But we view ourselves, and there’s a lot of data to support this, as the number one state in America to raise a family. We have the number one public education system in America, one of the top health systems in America, a quality of life that is in many respects second to none.

And affordability is very much a part of that. We inherited a mess four years ago. I promise you every single day we’ve been fighting to make this state more affordable and make it every day the number one state in America to raise a family. We’ve been doing that. And I commit to folks we’ll continue to do that.

CHUCK TODD:

There also appears to be a bit of, maybe it’s an ideological issue, South Jersey. Look, we saw it with the party switch of Jeff Van Drew two years earlier. I believe it was in the same district that your Senate president is in and lost. Do you think progressive politics is just not playing as well in South Jersey as it might in North Jersey?

GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY:

Couple things. First of all, I’m very proud that the entire New Jersey delegation on both sides of the aisle voted for the infrastructure bill on Friday. I think that’s a real testament to our ability to come together. Secondly, shocked that my friend and partner Steve Sweeney has lost a race.

I think it is a combination of where we started in this conversation a couple of minutes ago, Chuck. We’ve got to get to more kitchen tables. I don’t think that raising the minimum wage, expanding pre-K, making college health care more affordable, all-time high investments in infrastructure, I don’t think that’s a progressive, non-progressive agenda. I think that’s directed at making families’ lives better and quality of life better. But we’ve got to clearly connect more deeply into more kitchen tables in this state. That is for sure.

CHUCK TODD:

Mandate fatigue. Everybody has it. I think you know it. Probably people that abide by the rules have it. Considering that that seemed to be a little bit of a motivator for some, are you at all thinking about some relief on any of your mandates?

GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY:

Listen, there’s mandate fatigue everywhere, including with yours truly. So let there be no doubt about that. At the moment, no. But my hope is, particularly with our kids under the age of 12 now being able to get the vaccine, that we will at someday, sooner than later, be able to lift the mask mandate that we have in schools. That is my fervent hope. We’re not there yet. But please God, we can get there sooner than later. We’ve got to get there safely, responsibly. But I believe we can get there. And I hope it’s sooner than later.

CHUCK TODD:

All right. Governor Phil Murphy, Democrat from New Jersey who did make history, the first Democrat to win reelection in New Jersey since the ’70s. But boy, was it a squeaker. Thanks for coming on and sharing your perspective of what happened.

GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY:

Thanks for having me, Chuck.

CHUCK TODD:

When we come back, I’m going to talk to the other side of the aisle with the Republican that’s charged with winning back the Senate for the GOP in 2022. It’s Senator Rick Scott of Florida. Stay with us.