Newark — Last night’s debate was very clear — Kim Guadagno is showing her real loyalties. Guadagno doubled down on the Christie record and is making a hard right turn to embrace the gun lobby and Donald Trump. Phil Murphy said that after the debate the contrast facing voters on November 7 is even more stark today.

During the debate, Guadagno showed her true colors — a veritable clone of Chris Christie, including her refusal to criticize Donald Trump for pushing policies that would hurt New Jersey. She also made sure to vilify New Jersey’s immigrant population and again show that she would continue the Christie tradition of vetoing sensible gun safety legislation.

“After 2,821 days at Chris Christie’s side, everything Kim Guadagno said showed she’d be more of the same failed Christie policies,” said Murphy. “From painting a huge part of our population with a broad brush of fear-mongering, to her continued opposition to commonsense gun safety, to her refusal to break with President Trump, to her continued commitment to favoring corporations and the wealthy at the expense of everyone else, Lt. Governor Guadagno widened the chasm between herself the majority of New Jerseyans. The choice awaiting the voters on November 7 — between change and just four more years of the same — has never been more stark.”