Philip D. Murphy took the oath of office as New Jersey’s 56th Governor on January 16, 2018. After being re-elected in November 2021, Governor Murphy became the first Democratic Governor in New Jersey to serve a second term in 44 years.

Since taking office in 2018, Governor Murphy has focused on building a stronger, fairer, and more affordable New Jersey for every family. Under his leadership, New Jersey has taken strides in achieving record-high economic growth, expanding critical investments to lower costs for working families, restoring fiscal responsibility to state government, creating new economic opportunities in every community, and shrinking longstanding inequities.  

Over the course of his Administration, Governor Murphy has delivered real tax fairness and relief for New Jersey’s middle class and seniors through a number of new tax cuts — including the most ambitious property tax relief program in the state’s history, the ANCHOR program — while ensuring that the wealthiest New Jerseyans and biggest corporations pay their fair share.

A major hallmark of the Murphy Administration has been revitalizing New Jersey’s reputation as a global leader in innovation. In pursuit of this goal, Governor Murphy has introduced a new set of economic incentives focused on promoting the growth of local businesses and innovative startups, enacted the state’s first tax credits for historic preservation, and expanded credits for brownfields reclamation and redevelopment, among other initiatives designed to put New Jerseyans at the forefront of tomorrow’s economy.

The Governor has prioritized cultivating the most diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystem in the nation by supporting the growth of New Jersey-based start-ups and innovators through initiatives like the New Jersey Innovation Evergreen Fund and New Jersey’s AI Moonshot, which he announced during his 2024 State of the State Address. He also launched the Strategic Innovation Centers program, which has supported major incubators and accelerators across the state in a wide variety of industries, from the life sciences to fintech. Thanks to these efforts, New Jersey is now one of the top states in the nation for venture capital investment and has been recognized as the most-improved state for business, according to CNBC.

Governor Murphy has also positioned New Jersey to lead the world in combating climate change, particularly through the state’s growing dominance in clean energy industries like solar power and offshore wind. As part of these efforts, he has set New Jersey on a course to reach 100% clean energy by 2035, which represents one of the most ambitious clean energy goals in the entire country. And through clean energy supply chain projects at the Paulsboro Marine Terminal, and by creating the nation’s first purpose built offshore wind port at the South Jersey Wind Port in Salem County, the state is poised to create generations of good-paying, union jobs in the renewable industries that will power America’s future.

The Governor has also focused on making New Jersey a leading location for film, television, and digital production, enacting a new incentive program that has attracted billions of dollars in investments to New Jersey since 2021. And he has established New Jersey as a premier destination for live entertainment and sports. During Governor Murphy’s time in office, the state has been selected to host some of the world’s biggest sporting events, including the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Final and the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final.

Additionally, when New Jersey was the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Murphy worked closely with federal leaders, in Congress as well as the White House, to secure life-saving resources and make New Jersey a national leader in vaccine distribution and administration. Because of these efforts, New Jersey emerged from the pandemic as the number one state for private sector job creation in the entire Northeast. This historic economic rebound was supported by the billions of dollars that the Murphy Administration provided in state and federal relief to small businesses, schools, homeowners, tenants, landlords, and middle-class families.

The Murphy Administration has also made monumental progress when it comes to lowering costs and raising wages for New Jersey’s working families. In partnership with the State Legislature, he raised the state’s minimum wage from $8.60 when he took office to more than $15-per-hour, enacted guaranteed paid sick leave, and expanded paid family leave. Governor Murphy has made historic investments into K-12 education, put New Jersey on the path to universal pre-K, and created the College Promise program to provide tuition-free college for tens of thousands of students.

He has supported policies that have driven down the cost of health care, including prescription drugs, and has eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in medical debt relief for New Jersey’s residents. And he worked closely with the Legislature to enact the most significant affordable housing law in 40 years, ensuring that new housing will be built fairly, equitably, and without delay.

Moreover, the Murphy Administration has made generational investments modernizing New Jersey’s infrastructure, from creating new, dedicated funding streams to support NJ TRANSIT to securing full funding to complete the Gateway Program, which will double transit capacity along the Northeast Corridor.

Governor Murphy has expanded protections for the state’s immigrant and LGBTQIA+ communities. He has made New Jersey a national leader in enacting gun safety laws that have resulted in the number of shootings in New Jersey falling to their lowest levels on record. And, in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s disastrous overturning of Roe v. Wade, he enacted a landmark law that protects the fundamental right to an abortion throughout pregnancy and has made New Jersey a safe haven for reproductive care.

Since day one of his Administration, Governor Murphy has worked to establish New Jersey as a model state for social and racial justice by decriminalizing marijuana and cultivating a thriving adult-use cannabis industry, expunging the records of numerous non-violent offenders, and launching a first-of-its-kind clemency program for New Jerseyans in need of second chances. He has created the nation’s strongest provisions for environmental justice and has put a focus on eliminating stigma and promoting a compassionate approach to tackling opioid misuse. He has consistently protected and strengthened New Jersey’s democracy, including enacting automatic voter registration, in-person early voting, and restoring voting rights to individuals on probation or parole. And Governor Murphy has successfully appointed five Justices to the New Jersey Supreme Court, all with bipartisan support.

While establishing New Jersey as a progressive leader in every area of public policy, Governor Murphy has also made historic progress in restoring New Jersey’s financial health. He became the first Governor in a quarter-century to make a full annual pension payment, which he has now done for four years in a row. Additionally, after 11 credit rating downgrades under the prior administration, Governor Murphy has secured seven credit rating upgrades for New Jersey. Under his leadership, New Jersey has seen record budget surpluses and the retirement of billions of dollars in state debt.
Governor Murphy currently serves as the Finance Chair of the Democratic Governors Association. Previously, he served as the Chair of the National Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Association, and made history as the first Governor to lead both organizations simultaneously.

Career Prior to Becoming Governor

From 2009 until 2013, Governor Murphy served as the United States Ambassador to The Federal Republic of Germany, a position to which he was appointed by President Obama.

Governor Murphy has been deeply engaged in civic life and philanthropic pursuits. In 2002, he began his involvement with 180 Turning Lives Around, a Monmouth County women’s shelter where he ultimately served as Board president from 2005 until 2009. That experience led the Governor and First Lady to establish the teen helpline 2nd Floor.

Additionally, Governor Murphy was a member of the Board of Directors of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a non-profit organization which works with local community development associations to transform urban neighborhoods across the country, from 2002 until 2009.

In 2005, he chaired the New Jersey Benefits Review Task Force. He also co-chaired, with former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and the late Professor Roger Wilkins, a national task force on public education in the 21st Century for the Center for American Progress.

In 2006, he was appointed National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee by Chairman and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean. During his tenure, which ran until 2009, Democrats recaptured both houses of Congress, and his efforts helped build the infrastructure that elected President Obama in 2008.

In 2014, Governor and Mrs. Murphy founded New Start New Jersey, a “think-and-do tank” dedicated to seeking new policy directions to grow New Jersey’s economy and middle class. The Murphys partnered with the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University to create the New Start Career Network, which is focused on helping long-term unemployed New Jerseyans over the age of 45 re-enter the workforce.

From June 2015 until March 2017, Governor Murphy proudly served on the National Board of the NAACP.

In December 2018, Governor Murphy was named one of four honorees of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award from the nonprofit organization run by the family of the late Sen. Kennedy for his efforts to ensure social justice and equal economic opportunity. Among the other three honorees was former President Barack Obama.

Prior to entering public life, Governor Murphy worked for over 20 years at Goldman Sachs, starting as an intern in 1982 and ending in 2003 as a member of the firm’s management committee. During his business career, he led offices in Frankfurt, Germany, and Hong Kong.

Family Life

The youngest of four children of the late Walter F. Murphy, Sr. and Dorothy Murphy, Governor Murphy was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 16, 1957, and was raised in both Newton and nearby Needham, Massachusetts.

The Governor is a graduate of Needham High School, Harvard University, and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has been awarded numerous honorary degrees.

Governor Murphy and his wife, Tammy Snyder Murphy, reside in Middletown, located in Monmouth County, and are the parents of four adult children: Josh, Emma, Charlie, and Sam.