The person behind the name
Justin Murphy’s public record is short and local: three years on the Tabernacle Township Committee a quarter-century ago, three losing federal primaries, and then, in June 2026, a winning one. Everything else in this profile comes from his own résumé, his campaign, and the reporters who covered the race.
Murphy has lived in Tabernacle, in Burlington County’s Pine Barrens, since 1978, by the résumé he published when he entered the 2024 Senate race; the same document gave his age as 58 in January 2024. He describes himself as self-employed, an attorney, an author and a Navy veteran. On June 2, 2026 he won the Republican nomination for the United States Senate with 82,272 votes, 33.4 percent of a four-way Republican primary, and faces Senator Cory Booker, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary with 587,980 votes, on November 3. The certified candidate list of April 2 carried five names, one Democrat and four Republicans. [15][7][1][2]
Education and professional preparation
His résumé lists a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Rowan University (then Rowan College of New Jersey), a Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware, a master’s program in political science at Villanova University that he did not conclude, and an LL.M. in energy and natural resources from the University of Oklahoma School of Law. The questionnaire he submitted to a voter guide dates the Rowan degree to 1988–1995, the law degree to 2000 and the LL.M. to 2018–2020. He has practiced law since 2006, in estate, real estate, contract and energy matters. Earlier work he lists includes representing corrections, juvenile justice and parole officers for Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 200 in administrative matters, business development for an EB-5 regional center, consulting on renewable-energy projects, and public-policy consulting for Delaware’s Office of the Public Advocate. Before law school he opened the Medford Gym & Aerobic Center at 26, in October 1991, and sold it in May 2002. Bar records and transcripts were not part of this review; these are his statements. [14][15][39]
The Navy, the township committee, and three primaries
By his résumé he enlisted in the Navy at 17 and served four years, 1983 to 1987, aboard the USS Comte De Grasse (DD 974), including six months in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war, and was honorably discharged. He was elected to the Tabernacle Township Committee in November 2000 and served a three-year term; the New Jersey Globe reports that he did not seek re-election in 2003, and his questionnaire and the press describe him as a former deputy mayor. He then lost the Third District Republican primary in 2008, with 6,494 votes to Chris Myers’s 12,694, and again in 2010, with 11,304 to Jon Runyan’s 17,250. In 2024 he finished third in the Senate primary with 35,954 votes, 11.3 percent, behind Curtis Bashaw and Christine Serrano Glassner. [14][16][39][24][5][6][4]
A note on what the record can and cannot show. Murphy has never cast a legislative vote, sponsored a bill or held a federal or state office, so the roll calls, bill texts and scorecards that anchor most Ledger profiles do not exist for him. This profile rests on election canvasses, Federal Election Commission filings, the candidate’s own résumé and website, and reporting. Where a fact rests only on his own account, the text says so. [1][40][14]
Life & public service
From a Navy enlistment to a township committee seat and four runs for federal office, the documented milestones show how a long-shot nomination was assembled.
Tabernacle
Resident of Tabernacle since 1978, by his 2024 résumé: “Being raised in the Pinelands of Southern New Jersey has been one of the greatest Blessings of my life.” [15]
A gym in Medford
Opened the Medford Gym & Aerobic Center at 26 in October 1991 and sold it in May 2002: “My first small business venture.” [15]
County party work
Vice-president of the Burlington County Young Republicans (1994–1997), county co-chair for Dole-Kemp ’96, county committee member (1996–2000) and president of the Tabernacle Republican Organization (1998–2000), per his résumé. [14]
Third District primary
6,494 votes in the Republican primary for the open seat; Chris Myers won with 12,694. [5]
Third District, second try
11,304 votes to Jon Runyan’s 17,250 in the Republican primary. [6]
Second Senate campaign
Kicked off in Medford in December 2025 as the first Republican in the race: “Let’s beat Booker.” [16]
Accomplishments, in the record
Election canvasses and campaign filings establish the following; the professional items rest on the candidate’s published résumé and are labeled as such. Outcomes are described at the level the documents support.
A statewide nomination on 82,272 votes
The Division of Elections’ certified results give Murphy 82,272 votes in the June 2, 2026 Republican primary, 33.4 percent of 246,650, a margin of 10,357 over Richard Tabor (71,915); Alex Zdan had 66,183 and Robert Lebovics 26,280. He carried nine of the 21 counties: Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Morris, Passaic and Union. In Gloucester, where the county organization had endorsed him, he took 7,919 of 10,668 votes, 74.2 percent; in his home county of Burlington, whose organization had backed Zdan, he took 8,043 of 15,079. The Associated Press called the race at 11:25 p.m. on election night. [1][17][33]
The Globe’s analysis of the same results credits ballot position as well as the candidate: his name was first on the ballot in eight counties and he won six of them, and the primary electorate “wasn’t too sure who to vote for.” The same analysis notes that he narrowly won Morris County from the last ballot slot with the county party neutral. Both readings are in the record. [23]
Three years on the Tabernacle Township Committee
Elected in November 2000 to a three-year term on the governing body of a Pine Barrens township, and described as its deputy mayor in his own questionnaire and by the press; he did not seek re-election in 2003. It is his only elected public office. The Burlington County Clerk’s online archive of results begins in 2022, so the 2000 canvass was not read for this profile; the fact rests on his résumé and on reporting. [14][16][39][24][47]
Four years in the Navy
His résumé states that he enlisted at 17, served four years aboard the USS Comte De Grasse (DD 974), spent six months in the Arabian/Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war and was honorably discharged; his questionnaire gives the rank of petty officer second class (E-5). He dedicates the campaign to “the men and women of America’s military.” No service record was reviewed; this is the candidate’s account. [14][15][39][7]
A solo practice and an energy LL.M.
A practicing attorney since 2006 in estate, real estate, contract and energy matters, by his résumé, which also lists the representation of corrections, juvenile justice and parole officers for FOP Lodge 200 (“the best attorney job I have had”), business development for an EB-5 regional center, and public-policy consulting for Delaware’s Office of the Public Advocate on utility regulation and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The LL.M. in energy and natural resources is from the University of Oklahoma. [14][15][39]
Founding and selling a gym
He opened the Medford Gym & Aerobic Center in October 1991, at 26, and sold it in May 2002, by his résumé. It is the basis of the campaign’s claim that he knows “the long hours and countless weeks without a paycheck that many small business owners experience.” [15][7]
A book on judicial activism
His résumé lists “The Silent Crisis – How Judicial Activism Denigrates America’s Constitutional Republic,” published February 2021. The title was not found in the Open Library catalog, and the Google Books query was rate-limited, so the book is recorded here as the candidate’s statement. [14]
Two decades of county organizing
Active in Republican politics since 1988 by his account: vice-president of the Burlington County Young Republicans, county co-chair for Dole-Kemp ’96, county committee member, president of the Tabernacle Republican Organization, and a volunteer in Bret Schundler’s property-tax effort and 2005 campaign. In 2026 the county organizations of Camden, Gloucester and Mercer endorsed him, and the state senator who chairs Cumberland’s organization, Mike Testa, moved to him after the primary. [14][17][21][22]
Three primaries, measured
The canvasses record 6,494 votes in the 2008 Third District primary, 11,304 in 2010 and 35,954 (11.3 percent) in the 2024 Senate primary. They are losses, and the Globe wrote in December 2025 that his political career “hasn’t found much success” since 2003. They are also the documented base from which the 2026 nomination came. [5][6][4][16]
Family & community
His campaign website and the résumé he published name no spouse or children, and this profile makes no claim about his family. He has lived in Tabernacle since 1978 and calls the Pinelands “my home”; he says being raised there “has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.” [15][7][14]
His stated community ties run through the county Republican organizations he served from the mid-1990s, the corrections and parole officers he represented for FOP Lodge 200, and the military, to which he dedicates the campaign: “I believe the American Military is the greatest force for good in our world, save religious institutions.” [14][15][7]
Neither the campaign website nor the résumé he supplied to Insider NJ states a religious affiliation, and this profile makes no claim about one. The sources reviewed here do not supply a verified record of charitable board service, and none is asserted. [7][14]
His mission for New Jersey
Abolish the IRS, secure the borders, keep the Pinelands pristine and the Jersey Shore “pollution and windmill free,” and give New Jersey its first Republican senator since 1972.
The following summarizes the eleven-part “Senate Pledge” on Murphy’s campaign website, its issue pages and his statements on the campaign trail. The site’s issue videos cover crime, affordability, medical freedom and parental rights. These are proposed priorities, not completed accomplishments. [7][8][9][10][11][13]
01Abolish the IRS; a flat tax of 10 to 12 percent
“Abolish the IRS and Internal Revenue Code and implement a Flat Income Tax. … I advocate abolishing the Internal Revenue Code and enacting a Flat-Tax rate of 10% – 12% … I believe we should abolish the capital gains tax in its entirety, all estate and death taxes (when you leave this life, the IRS should not follow you), and the AMT.” His 2024 pledge put the rate at 12 percent “eventually sliding down to 10%.” He restated the flat tax at the Morris County town hall on August 28, 2026. No replacement-revenue estimate appears in the material reviewed. [7][15][38][28]
02Abolish the Department of Education; “Party-of-Parents”
“Parental Rights are the civil rights issues of our time.” He would abolish the federal Department of Education and divide its budget, which he puts at approximately $100 billion a year, “equally among each individual local school board for public education funding and school voucher programs,” which he calls “a real solution for New Jersey’s problem of over-reliance on property taxes to fund public education.” He also says, “I am pro education; we have no future without a vibrant public education system.” [7]
03Finish the wall, station the military on both borders
“Thankfully, President Trump has secured America’s southern border.” He would complete the wall, secure the Canadian border, reform visa tracking “including students,” withhold federal aid from sanctuary jurisdictions, expand 287(g) agreements and “station the U.S. Military on our border to regain control, and remain in control.” The issue page adds E-Verify, Title 42, an end to catch-and-release and a revived “Remain in Mexico” policy. [7][10]
04Health savings accounts, a national insurance market, and a fraud unit
“I agree with those who want universal health coverage for Americans, however, I adamantly oppose government-run healthcare.” He proposes a Health Savings Account for every American, interstate sale of insurance, and a Medicare and Medicaid fraud unit with rewards for informants; he estimates fraud and waste at “approximately 100-billion dollars a year” and would recycle recoveries “into the Social Security and Medicare systems to keep those programs solvent.” The version published in February 2026 adds “Medical Freedom” and opposition to “government mandates.” Before the primary he told WHYY his priorities included ensuring older residents have “the best Medicare program available.” [7][14][34]
05Energy dominance, nuclear power, and a windmill-free shore
“America has in shale oil three times the amount of proven oil reserves in Saudi Arabia.” He would expedite federal leasing and permitting and promote production on federal lands, “strongly” supports expanding nuclear power, and says that if a project cannot be done “in an environmentally responsible manner, I will not support development of that project.” For New Jersey: “the NJ Pinelands (my home) are kept pristine, the Jersey Shore kept pollution and windmill free.” [7][8]
06Tariffs on China and a harder line in the Pacific
The China page lists: “Tariff goods manufactured in China to compensate for the intellectual property theft and the damage the corona-virus caused to America’s economy; increase American military presence in the South China Sea; expel Chinese diplomats and close Chinese consulates in America; withhold federal aid to colleges and universities that take money from Chinese companies and Chinese universities; remove ambiguity as it relates to the defense of Taiwan; continue to arm Taiwan and our Asian allies,” and “Make it clear to China that we would entertain a military alliance with Vietnam.” [9]
07A permanent DOGE and a Balanced Budget Amendment
“DOGE should become a permanent federal endeavor. I also support a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.” In 2024 the same plank called for a Grace Commission on the Reagan model, with results submitted to Congress “in a manner similar to the successful BRAC.” On guns: “I support Constitutional Carry.” On drugs: opposition to marijuana legalization and “a nation-wide campaign against drug use, as there was in the 1980’s.” [7][15][11]
08Election integrity: the SAVE Act and mail-in limits
On July 25, 2026 he said he would have co-sponsored the SAVE America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register: “As a candidate, I support the SAVE Act, and my opponent opposes the SAVE Act.” On August 28 he endorsed the Trump administration’s effort to restrict mail-in voting: “I support anything that makes the system better,” and “Chain of custody is what we need to worry about,” adding, “I don’t want a system that favors Republicans; I don’t want a system that favors Democrats. I want a system that’s fair.” [27][28]
09Abortion
The pledge: “I am pro-life; I believe life begins at conception … My exceptions are the life of the mother, and the rape/incest exceptions,” with opposition to tax funding and support for parental notification, the partial-birth ban and adoption. NJ Right to Life PAC recommended him, jointly with Tabor, on May 21, 2026. At the May 28 debate he did not raise his hand for a national ban: “The Dobbs decision overruling Roe v. Wade returned the issue back to each state. That’s federalism, that’s the 10th Amendment, and that’s what conservatives have wanted since 1973.” [7][19][20]
How to assess a proposal. A campaign plan states an intention. Enactment, implementation costs, replacement revenue, and measured results are separate questions. These priorities should be read alongside the documented record above.
The fuller record
A useful profile includes the money, the mechanics of the nomination, the limits of a claim, and responses to material criticism.
The Morris County remarks on Muslims and Arabs
At a town hall hosted by the Morris County Republican Committee on August 28, 2026, an audience member asked about “radical Islam.” As reported by Insider NJ, citing Politico’s first account, Murphy wondered why so many Somalis live in one Minnesota congressional district (“Can’t be because of the weather”), recounted that someone had told him “We ought to get rid of all the Arabs,” and said he had answered, “Why? We can’t get rid of all of them. Some of them are Christian. Some of them have the faith and belief and tenets that our country was built on.” He also spoke of a “cultural war” to protect the Judeo-Christian tradition. Booker, who had largely ignored the race, posted: “These remarks by Mr. Murphy are vile. This is bigotry, plain and simple, and it must be resoundingly condemned.” The Morris County Republican chair, Laura Ali, issued a statement that “We should never condemn or characterize an entire group of people based on the actions of a few,” pointing to the county’s Muslim commissioner. Insider NJ’s column reported that Murphy had not returned its call but “has said he was speaking about ‘radical Islam.’” Insider NJ’s morning briefing of September 2 carried a fuller response, credited to Politico: “I talked about immigration from Islam and radical Islam as to how it affects western Europe. That’s what I get for putting myself out there and taking questions directly from the public.” Politico’s article itself could not be retrieved for this review, and by September 17 the briefing’s web address served a later edition, so the fuller quotation rests on the reading of September 15. [30][31][46]
Money: $122 against $23 million
His committee, The Committee to Elect Justin Murphy 2024, with Cynthia Gallenthin as treasurer, is the same one he used in 2024. The FEC candidate summary through June 30, 2026 shows receipts of $27,315.52, disbursements of $26,296.95, cash on hand of $122.51, candidate loans of $4,931.96 and debts of $8,781.96; the Globe read the same filings as $39,221 raised this cycle and put Booker’s cash advantage at “about 181,000 to 1.” Booker’s summary shows $18,869,341.39 in receipts and $23,060,940.12 on hand for the same period. Before the primary, all four Republicans together had raised about $225,000, and Murphy $9,709. He has no paid staff and ran no television advertising in the primary; his answer is a 21-county town hall tour with “unscripted audience questions.” The only poll found is a district poll of the 7th Congressional District (498 likely voters, September 8–12) in which Booker led Murphy 49 to 43 within that district; it is not a statewide measure. [42][40][41][25][35][18][24][29]
A nomination shaped by ballot position
The Globe’s post-primary analysis, whose sub-headline said Murphy’s “close win was boosted by some lucky ballot ordering,” found that his name was first on the ballot in eight counties and second in seven, that he won six of the eight where he was first and finished 115 votes behind Tabor in a seventh, and that in Gloucester, with the party slogan and first position, he took 74 percent. The certified results bear out the Gloucester figure (7,919 of 10,668). The same analysis cautions that “attributing Murphy’s win to ballot quirks alone may be giving him too little credit,” noting that he won Morris County from the last slot with the party neutral, and that better-informed voters may have been swayed by “Murphy’s old-fashioned, principled style of conservatism, or his life story as a Navy veteran from the Pinelands.” Save Jersey, a conservative site, called the result “an upset win.” [23][1][36]
The voter-roll numbers
Murphy made the state’s voter-roll failure a campaign issue after Governor Sherrill disclosed that a Motor Vehicle Commission software error had added roughly 6,600 self-identified noncitizens to the rolls between June 2023 and June 2024, fewer than 400 of whom cast ballots. He also cited a Department of Homeland Security allegation of 35,152 noncitizen registrations, a figure the Globe reported federal officials had not established or explained, and said the party that “proclaims they are trying to save democracy, nominated Kamala Harris in 2024 without a single primary vote cast for her.” The 6,600 figure is the governor’s; the 35,152 figure is an unverified federal allegation; noncitizens are already barred from voting in federal and state elections. [27]
Three lost primaries before this one
The Globe described him in December 2025 as a candidate whose “political career hasn’t found much success” since 2003 and who “faded from political view for more than a decade” before 2024. The canvasses record the losses: 6,494 votes in 2008, 11,304 in 2010, 35,954 in 2024. His own account of the lesson: “until we inspire people to vote for us, they will not. The way we inspire voters is with a vision and a backbone to fight for that vision, no longer letting Democrats define us.” The 2026 result, 82,272 votes and a nomination, is also in the record. [16][5][6][4][20][1]
Abortion: a Right to Life recommendation and no national ban
NJ Right to Life PAC recommended Murphy and Tabor together, and Spadea wrote that Murphy was “the only candidate to attend the New Jersey Right to Life annual banquet.” At the Globe/Rider debate, none of the four candidates raised a hand for a national abortion ban; Murphy said he is “unapologetically pro-life” but that the question belongs to the states after Dobbs. His website pledge nonetheless lists federal-level positions he supports, including the partial-birth ban and a bar on tax funding. Readers on either side of the issue will find the two statements in tension; both are his. [19][32][20][7]
Ukraine, Trump, and the party’s wings
Murphy ran as a Trump supporter, in Spadea’s description, and his pledge credits Trump with securing the border; Fox News reported that Trump “does not appear to have endorsed” in the primary, and no post-primary endorsement was found in this review. On Ukraine he sided with continued assistance while Zdan and Lebovics said Europe should lead: “President Trump changed the game. It’s not like we’re just throwing piles of cash at Ukraine like the Biden administration did. The structure that Donald Trump has in place is one I think we can all support.” He repeated his support for Ukraine on August 28 and said he believes the war will end soon. All four candidates approved the restitution fund Trump has floated for victims of “lawfare,” and in the debate’s lightning round all four supported limiting mail-in voting and opposed impeaching judges who rule against Trump. [32][7][37][20][28]
What the ratings measure
The NRA Political Victory Fund grades him “AQ,” which its legend defines as “a pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate’s responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues”; Booker is graded F. Americans for Tax Reform’s pledge database lists three New Jersey signers, Joe Hathaway, Thomas H. Kean Jr. and Chris Smith, and not Murphy. The legislative scorecards, Heritage Action, Club for Growth, the ACU, the League of Conservation Voters and the rest, do not rate him because there is nothing to score; no Voteview or GovTrack figure exists. A candidate questionnaire published by iVoterGuide rates him “Conservative” on the guide’s scale and records his answers, among them a 10 percent flat tax and a bar on gun ownership for people with documented mental illness; it is his submission, not a record. [43][44][45][39]
Endorsements and the party after the primary
Camden, Gloucester and Mercer County Republican organizations endorsed him before the primary; Burlington, his home county, put him third at its convention with 17 votes, and Tabor and Zdan each won more county endorsements than he did. After the primary State Senator Mike Testa, who had backed Zdan, said of supporting the nominee, “Absolutely, 100 percent. You’ve got to get behind the Republican candidate.” Murphy’s own strategy memo proposed keeping Tabor, the runner-up, visible as a paid surrogate: “Rich can connect with urban voters.” The campaign’s September calendar lists a candidates’ night with the Burlington County Federated Republican Women in Medford, a rally at Morris County Republican headquarters and a farm fundraiser in Pemberton, each billed under the line “Navy Veteran | Attorney | Author | Pro 2A | Pro Parental Rights | Pro Life | Pro America.” The single scheduled debate with Booker, hosted by the New Jersey Globe and Rider University, is October 8, moderated by the Globe’s David Wildstein and Rider’s Micah Rasmussen and carried on C-SPAN. Endorsements establish political support; they are not evaluations of the record above. [17][21][23][22][24][12][26]
Questions & answers
Who is Justin Murphy?
Justin Murphy is the 2026 Republican nominee for the United States Senate from New Jersey. By his published résumé he is a Navy veteran, an attorney in practice since 2006 and a resident of Tabernacle, in Burlington County, since 1978. His only elected public office was a three-year term on the Tabernacle Township Committee, to which he was elected in November 2000. [48][1][14][15][35][16][39]
What office is Justin Murphy running for in 2026?
He is running for the United States Senate seat from New Jersey held by Democrat Cory Booker. He won the Republican primary on June 2, 2026 with 82,272 votes, 33.4 percent of a four-way race, and the Division of Elections’ official general-election candidate list carries him as the Republican candidate. It is his first nomination in four federal primaries. [1][48][5][6][4]
Who is Justin Murphy running against?
He faces Senator Cory Booker, the Democratic incumbent, who was unopposed in the June 2 Democratic primary and received 587,980 votes. The Division of Elections’ official general-election candidate list also carries two candidates under other ballot designations: Veronica Fernandez (End the Corruption!) and Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party). [1][48]
When is the election?
The general election is November 3, 2026. New Jersey held its primary on June 2, 2026; the Division of Elections’ official results are dated July 27, 2026. In July the New Jersey Globe and Rider University announced that they would host a debate between Booker and Murphy on October 8; the Globe described it in late August as the only one scheduled. [48][1][26][28]
What are Justin Murphy’s main campaign priorities?
The eleven-part “Senate Pledge” on his campaign website includes abolishing the IRS in favor of a flat income tax of 10 to 12 percent, abolishing the federal Department of Education, completing the border wall, a Health Savings Account for every American, expanded energy production and nuclear power, and a Balanced Budget Amendment. These are proposed priorities, not completed accomplishments. [7][8][10]
What is Justin Murphy’s professional background?
By his published résumé, he served in the Navy from 1983 to 1987 aboard the USS Comte De Grasse, opened the Medford Gym & Aerobic Center in 1991 and sold it in 2002, holds a law degree from Widener University and has practiced law since 2006. No service record, bar record or transcript was reviewed for this profile; these are his statements. He has never held federal or state office. [14][15][39][16][23]
The sources behind the story
Government records anchor the profile: the Division of Elections’ certified canvasses for 2008, 2010, 2024 and 2026 and the Federal Election Commission’s filings. The candidate’s résumé, as he published it, establishes attributed background; original reporting supplies responses and scrutiny. Campaign materials are used for the candidate’s own priorities and claims.
- 01Official Primary Election Results: U.S. Senate, June 2, 2026 (Official List dated 07/27/2026)New Jersey Division of Elections · Posted July 27, 2026
Certified county tallies: Booker (D) 587,980; Murphy 82,272; Tabor 71,915; Zdan 66,183; Lebovics 26,280; ballot slogans by county. Percentages and counties carried computed for this profile.Government / regulatory record - 02Official Primary Election Candidates: U.S. Senate, June 2, 2026 (Official List dated 04/02/2026)New Jersey Division of Elections · Posted Apr. 2, 2026
The five certified candidates, their addresses of record (Murphy: 20 Worrell Road, Tabernacle) and county slogans.Government / regulatory record - 032026 Election Year InformationNew Jersey Division of Elections · Updated Sept. 4, 2026
Index of the official 2026 results and candidate lists; states that the primary results were posted July 27, 2026.Government / regulatory record - 04Official Primary Election Results: U.S. Senate, June 4, 2024 (Official List dated 07/02/2024)New Jersey Division of Elections · Posted July 2, 2024
Republican primary: Bashaw 144,869; Serrano Glassner 121,986; Murphy 35,954; Harshaw 15,064. Murphy's 11.3 percent computed for this profile.Government / regulatory record - 05Candidate Returns for House of Representatives, June 2008 Primary Election (Official List, 07-11-2008)New Jersey Division of Elections · July 11, 2008
Third District Republican primary: Myers 12,694; Kelly 6,531; Justin Michael Murphy 6,494, slogan 'Traditional Republicans For Reform And Accountability.'Government / regulatory record - 06Candidate Returns for House of Representatives, June 2010 Primary Election (Official List, 07-12-2010)New Jersey Division of Elections · July 12, 2010
Third District Republican primary: Runyan 17,250; Justin Michael Murphy 11,304.Government / regulatory record - 07Murphy for U.S. Senate 2026 (homepage and 'My Senate Pledge')Jersey Justin for Senate (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
The eleven-part pledge quoted in this profile, the New Jersey vision statement, the 'I care' statement, committee name, treasurer and address. Proposals, not record.Campaign source - 08Issue EnergyJersey Justin for Senate (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Energy plank: expedite federal leasing and permitting, promote production on federal lands, 'energy independent and energy dominant again.'Campaign source - 09Issue ChinaJersey Justin for Senate (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
China plank: tariffs on Chinese goods, South China Sea presence, expelling diplomats, Taiwan, arming allies, a possible alliance with Vietnam.Campaign source - 10Issue ImmigrationJersey Justin for Senate (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Immigration plank: the wall, the military on both borders, E-Verify, Title 42, 'Remain in Mexico,' ending catch-and-release, suspending aid to sanctuary jurisdictions.Campaign source - 11Issue DrugsJersey Justin for Senate (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Opposition to marijuana legalization and a call for a 1980s-style national anti-drug campaign.Campaign source - 12EventsJersey Justin for Senate (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
September 2026 events (Medford, Morris Plains, Pemberton) and the campaign's self-description: 'Navy Veteran | Attorney | Author | Pro 2A | Pro Parental Rights | Pro Life | Pro America.'Campaign source - 13Issue videosJersey Justin for Senate (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Video topics: introduction, crime, affordability, medical freedom, parental rights and education. No Spanish-language material was found on the site.Campaign source - 14Proud Son of the Pinelands Murphy Wants to Take on Booker (The Diner Booth)Insider NJ (Max Pizarro) · Feb. 4, 2026
Candidate-supplied résumé as published: Navy 1983–87 aboard USS Comte De Grasse; Township Committee from Nov. 2000; attorney since 2006; degrees; party posts; the 2021 book; plus two interview quotes.Independent analysis / professional record - 15Not with Tammy: Another Murphy Enters the U.S. Senate FrayInsider NJ (Max Pizarro) · Jan. 26, 2024
His 2024 statement and résumé: 'Age: 58'; Tabernacle resident since 1978; Medford Gym & Aerobic Center 1991–2002; FOP Lodge 200 work; EB-5 and Delaware Public Advocate consulting; the 12 percent flat tax.Independent analysis / professional record - 16Former Tabernacle committeeman will run for U.S. Senate againNew Jersey Globe (Joey Fox) · Dec. 18, 2025
The 2026 announcement: Medford kickoff; elected 2000, did not seek re-election 2003; lost 2008 and 2010 House primaries; 11 percent in 2024; NJ Right to Life recommendation in 2024.Independent reporting - 17Gloucester GOP endorses Justin Murphy for U.S. SenateNew Jersey Globe (David Wildstein) · Mar. 1, 2026
Gloucester endorsement by acclamation; the Camden endorsement already won; third at the Burlington convention with 17 votes; the rival candidates' county endorsements.Independent reporting - 18In Senate race to beat Booker, GOP donors aren't opening their walletsNew Jersey Globe (Joey Fox) · Apr. 16, 2026
Pre-primary fundraising: Murphy $9,709; Zdan $7,379; Lebovics $101,260 including $100,000 of his own; Booker $22,171,570 on hand.Independent reporting - 19N.J. Right to Life PAC announces 2026 endorsements, including Pino in NJ-9New Jersey Globe (Joey Fox) · May 21, 2026
The PAC recommended two Senate candidates, Murphy and Tabor, rather than one.Independent reporting - 20In U.S. Senate debate, Republicans make the case for how they'd beat BookerNew Jersey Globe (Joey Fox) · May 28, 2026
The NJ Globe/Rider primary debate: Murphy on inspiring voters, Ukraine aid under Trump, Dobbs and federalism; no hands raised for a national abortion ban; the lightning-round positions.Independent reporting - 21Justin Murphy gets Senate nod to challenge Cory Booker, lead GOP ticketNew Jersey Globe (Joey Fox) · June 2, 2026
Election-night projection, 33 percent to Tabor's 29; county support in Camden, Gloucester and Mercer; first nomination after 2008, 2010 and 2024 losses; Booker's $22 million.Independent reporting - 22Testa ready to help Murphy take on BookerNew Jersey Globe (Joe Seewald) · June 12, 2026
State Sen. Mike Testa, who backed Zdan in the primary: 'Absolutely, 100 percent. You've got to get behind the Republican candidate.'Independent reporting - 23How party slogans and ballot draws defined many of New Jersey's primary contestsNew Jersey Globe (Joey Fox) · June 13, 2026
Analysis: first ballot position in eight counties, six of them won; 74 percent in Gloucester; Morris won from the last slot; 'raised barely $15,000'; -$24 cash at the pre-primary report.Independent reporting - 24Murphy launches 21-county town hall tour in Senate bid against BookerNew Jersey Globe (David Wildstein) · July 2, 2026
The strategy memo to the state chair: unscripted town halls in all 21 counties; Tabor as a paid surrogate; the 'preach to the choir' critique; the first three dates; under $15,000 spent by mid-May.Independent reporting - 25U.S. Senate candidate Justin Murphy has $122 in the bankNew Jersey Globe (David Wildstein) · July 15, 2026
Cash on hand $122; $39,221 raised this cycle by the Globe's reading; $8,735 in candidate loans; no paid staff and no primary TV ads; Booker's $22.2 million, 'about 181,000 to 1.'Independent reporting - 26Cory Booker, Justin Murphy will debate on October 8, sponsored by N.J. Globe and RiderNew Jersey Globe Staff · July 24, 2026
The scheduled general-election debate, hosted by the Globe and Rider University: Oct. 8, 7 PM, 60 minutes, in person (the announcement names no venue); moderators Wildstein and Rasmussen; streamed and on C-SPAN; vote-by-mail ballots go out Sept. 19.Independent reporting - 27Justin Murphy backs SAVE Act after noncitizens added to N.J. voter rollsNew Jersey Globe (David Wildstein) · July 25, 2026
His SAVE Act statement; the roughly 6,600 registrations from an MVC software failure disclosed by Gov. Sherrill; the DHS figure of 35,152 he cited, which federal officials had not established.Independent reporting - 28Murphy backs Trump effort to limit mail-in votingNew Jersey Globe (Joe Seewald) · Aug. 28, 2026
Morris County town hall: support for the administration's mail-in restrictions ('Chain of custody'), the SAVE Act, a flat tax, continued support for Ukraine; the Oct. 8 debate described as the only one.Independent reporting - 29Poll: NJ-7 race is too close to callNew Jersey Globe (David Wildstein) · Sep. 14, 2026
Insider NJ/StimSight poll of 498 likely voters in the 7th District, Sept. 8–12: Booker 49 percent, Murphy 43 within that district; Murphy favorability 15–13. A district poll, not a statewide one.Independent reporting - 30Anti-Muslim Comments Give GOP's Murphy Unwanted AttentionInsider NJ (Fred Snowflack, columnist) · Sep. 1, 2026
The Morris County town-hall remarks as reported (first by Politico), Booker's 'vile' statement, the Morris County Democratic and Republican chairs' statements, and Murphy's 'radical Islam' explanation. A column.Independent reporting - 31Insider NJ's Morning Intelligence Briefing: 9/2/2026Insider NJ · Sep. 2, 2026
Quote of the day, attributed to Politico: 'I talked about immigration from Islam and radical Islam as to how it affects western Europe...' On September 17, 2026 this address served the 9/17/2026 edition, so the quotation could not be re-read there.Independent reporting - 32NJ Senate primary: Here's why Justin Murphy got Spadea's voteNew Jersey 101.5 (Bill Spadea, opinion) · May 14, 2026
The radio host's endorsement column: 'a Trump supporter and a common-sense conservative'; 'the only candidate to attend the New Jersey Right to Life annual banquet.' Opinion, conservative host.Independent reporting - 33Justin Murphy wins New Jersey's Republican Senate primary. He'll face Cory Booker in NovemberWHYY (David Matthau) · June 2–3, 2026
The AP call at 11:25 p.m.; his stated priorities; opposition to recreational marijuana; a 'windmill free' shore; Booker unopposed.Independent reporting - 34New Jersey election 2026: These 4 Republicans hope to unseat U.S. Sen. Cory BookerWHYY (David Matthau) · Updated Apr. 20, 2026
Pre-primary profile of the four candidates; Murphy's priorities in his own words: tax cuts, spending reductions, energy independence, 'the best Medicare program available.'Independent reporting - 35Justin Murphy wins GOP nod to take on Sen. Cory BookerNew Jersey Monitor (Sophie Nieto-Munoz) · June 2, 2026
All four Republican candidates raised about $225,000 combined; Booker's $22 million as of mid-May; no Republican senator since 1972. Read through the fetch tool; a direct download returned 403.Independent reporting - 36Who is Justin Murphy, the GOP nominee to challenge Cory Booker?Save Jersey (conservative outlet) · June 2, 2026
The conservative site's summary: deputy mayor and committeeman; NJ-3 in 2008 and 2010; opposition to offshore wind; 'an upset win.'Independent reporting - 37Justin Murphy will battle Cory Booker in November after winning GOP primary raceFox News (Alec Schemmel) · June 3, 2026
'Trump does not appear to have endorsed in New Jersey's Republican Senate primary'; Trump's late endorsements went to Kean, Van Drew and Smith; the campaign's own photograph credited 'Jersey Justin For Senate.'Independent reporting - 38Justin MurphyBallotpedia · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
2024 primary: 35,954 votes (11.3 percent); Navy; self-employed; deputy mayor of Tabernacle; 2024 campaign themes including a 12 percent flat tax 'sliding down to 10%.' He did not complete Ballotpedia's survey.Independent analysis / professional record - 39Voter Guide Profile: Justin Murphy, U.S. Senator, New Jersey Republican primary, June 2, 2026iVoterGuide · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Candidate-submitted questionnaire and biography: Navy E-5 1983–87; J.D. 2000; B.A. 1988–95; LL.M. 2018–20; committeeman/deputy mayor 2001–03; answers on a 10 percent flat tax, Israel and guns. Claims, not record.Campaign source - 40Candidate: Justin Michael Murphy LL.M. (S4NJ00532), 2026 cycleFederal Election Commission · Coverage through June 30, 2026
Receipts $27,315.52; disbursements $26,296.95; cash $122.51; debts $8,781.96; candidate loans $4,931.96; Statement of Candidacy filed Jan. 2, 2026; committee C00865808.Government / regulatory record - 41All candidates summary file, 2025–2026 (weball26)Federal Election Commission (bulk data) · Downloaded Sep. 15, 2026
Same Murphy totals as the candidate page; Booker: receipts $18,869,341.39, disbursements $7,000,887.26, cash $23,060,940.12 through June 30, 2026.Government / regulatory record - 42Committee master file, 2025–2026 (cm26)Federal Election Commission (bulk data) · Downloaded Sep. 15, 2026
C00865808 'The Committee to Elect Justin Murphy 2024,' treasurer Cynthia Gallenthin, 20 Worrell Road, Tabernacle.Government / regulatory record - 43Grades & Endorsements — New JerseyNRA Political Victory Fund · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
U.S. Senate, election of Nov. 3, 2026: Justin Murphy (R) 'AQ'; Cory Booker (D) 'F.'Government / regulatory record - 44Grades & Endorsements: what the grades meanNRA Political Victory Fund · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
'AQ: A pro-gun candidate whose rating is based solely on the candidate's responses to the NRA-PVF Candidate Questionnaire and who does not have a voting record on Second Amendment issues.'Government / regulatory record - 45Taxpayer Protection Pledge databaseAmericans for Tax Reform · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Federal signers listed for New Jersey: Joe Hathaway, Thomas H. Kean Jr., Chris Smith. Justin Murphy is not listed.Government / regulatory record - 46U.S. Senate Town Hall with Justin Michael Murphy Hosted by the Morris County Republican CommitteeNew Jersey Republican State Committee (event listing) · Aug. 28, 2026
The event at which the mail-in voting and 'radical Islam' remarks were made: Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, 6–8 p.m., MCRC headquarters, 51 Gibraltar Drive, Morris Plains.Campaign source - 47Election ResultsBurlington County Clerk · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
The county's online results archive reaches back to 2022; the November 2000 Tabernacle Township Committee result is not posted there.Government / regulatory record - 48Official General Election Candidates: U.S. Senate, November 3, 2026 (Official List dated 07/27/2026)New Jersey Division of Elections · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The official general-election candidate list: Cory Booker (Democratic, marked as the incumbent), Justin Murphy (Republican), Veronica Fernandez (listed as End the Corruption!) and Joanne Kuniansky (listed as Socialist Workers Party). Dated July 27, 2026 and still the list linked from the Division’s 2026 page on September 17, 2026; it may change after this review.Government / regulatory record
No matching sources. Try “Senate”, “election” or “campaign.”
Scope & method. Reviewed September 17, 2026. This is a documented overview of publicly available biography, election results, campaign filings and stated priorities. The subject has no legislative record, so no roll calls were read; four certified canvasses, the FEC summary and 48 documents in all were read for it and the defining ones are cited. Numerical claims retain their original meaning and attribution; percentages computed from certified tallies are marked as computed. Statements that rest only on the candidate’s own résumé are labeled as his. Historical sources do not imply current positions. A newspaper’s analysis is labeled as such. The source list provides direct links so readers can check the underlying material. Filings and campaign pages may change after this review.
Images. Conservative Ledger masthead supplied by the site creator. No photograph is published here: the Ledger uses only public-domain U.S. Government works or images under an explicit free licence, and none had been cleared for this profile at the time of review.
Where to find the candidate
Every link below was read from the campaign’s own website or the candidate’s official government page. A follower count is printed only where it was measured; otherwise the link is published and the number is left blank rather than guessed at.