Sherrill's early decision on Biden

Presented by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Matt Friedman's must-read briefing on the Garden State's important news of the day

Jul 26, 2024 View in browser   By Mia McCarthy Presented by  Good Friday morning!  Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill was the first and only member of the New Jersey delegation to call on President Joe Biden to step out of the 2024 race. That was just over two weeks ago — and the political scene has almost entirely shifted since then, with Biden having relented and Vice President Kamala Harris almost certainly leading the ticket in November. Sherrill, a former Navy pilot expected to run for governor next year, said it wasn’t a decision that came lightly: “Something you learn in the military is how to gather information and make tough decisions during really difficult times, often during a crisis.” After Biden gave a speech on Wednesday explaining his decision not to run for reelection, Playbook caught up with Sherrill on the events of the past two weeks. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You were the only member of the New Jersey delegation to call on Biden to step out of the race. Do you think other members should have? Why do you think you were the only one? It's sometimes difficult in that situation that you know is going to have such huge ramifications. I mean, the very future of the country is at stake in winning this election. I think it's hard sometimes to take that responsibility on. But that's what leadership is about, and that's what you're often trained to do. I don't think it's an accident that you saw several former military members coming forward, like [Massachusetts Rep.] Seth Moulton and [New York Rep.] Pat Ryan. I think we know from experience that the worst decision is often not making that decision for change, not being courageous enough to chart a new path. Biden appeared for a long time to be in declining health. Why wasn't there a push for him not to run before the primaries instead of after? I saw him at the State of the Union address. And I will tell you he seemed very sharp. I thought he did a good job. And so while I had heard some of the reporting, I had not seen it … it really wasn't until the debate where I became concerned that he was not going to be able to prosecute the case against Trump … And so for me, that was the moment when I thought we're really going to need to go with a different candidate to really prosecute that case. Obviously this was a big week for New Jersey too, with Sen. Bob Menendez announcing he will resign. What are your reactions to that and were you surprised? Who do you think Gov. Phil Murphy should tap to fill his seat?  He really did need to resign. I don't think there's a path forward there. So I'm happy that he did that. I think it's important for the country and important for the state. And now, I think it's a tough decision, right? Because we need Andy Kim in the Senate. We [also] need Andy Kim in the House, given our really tight majority. And so I think it sounds as if the governor has spoken to [Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries, who made a strong case for keeping as many people in the House as possible. I'm sure the governor will make a great choice, and somebody who's going to represent our state well until Andy Kim wins the race in November. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mmccarthy@politico.com. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Steve Oroho, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson. Saturday for Dalin Hackley, Mike Porch, Ed Farmer, Samantha Maltzman, David Adinaro. Sunday for Yvonne Lopez, Bill Bradley. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I'm flattered … that I've heard my name out there. I might add from sources other than mine. And that humbles me greatly.” — Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday night to News12, when asked if he could be in the running for vice president. WHERE’S MURPHY? — Leaving New Jersey for personal travel.   A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: To make New Jersey a healthier, more equitable place to live, we must end structural racism. The most effective way to change unfair systems and harmful policies is for affected communities to build power through collective action. When communities act together to voice their needs and hopes, they can hold decisionmakers accountable and drive change. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has a plan to harness community power to increase access to health. Explore the roadmap.   WHAT TRENTON MADE IN-DURR-VIEW — In 2021, Ed Durr upended New Jersey politics — and he’s hoping to do so again in 2025. POLITICO sat down with the 2025 GOP gubernatorial candidate and one-time state senator to talk about his vision for the state, thoughts on the race and his brief time in Trenton. A Durr administration would be a conservative departure to the current leadership of Gov. Phil Murphy, with Durr saying he looked to Florida and the Dakotas as models for governance. Read more on the interview with Durr and POLITICO’s Daniel Han here. ALL IN FOR AI — “Gov. Murphy signs AI tax incentives into law,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Nikita Biryukov: “Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Thursday a voluminous new tax incentive program intended to draw artificial intelligence development to the state. The $500 million program would extend tax incentive awards of up to $250 million to firms that draw more than half their revenue or devote more than half their staff to AI development.” COURT WATCH — “Appeals court rules in favor of New Jersey temp worker law,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: “In a blow to New Jersey staffing agencies, a federal appeals court declined to halt enforcement of a new state law that requires businesses to pay temporary workers the same wages and benefits as full-time employees who do similar work.”   Pro Briefing: Kamala Harris and the World. What we expect on foreign policy and trade. Join POLITICO Pro for a deep-dive conversation with our specialist reporters about the vice president’s approach to foreign policy. Register Now.     IN TRANSIT — “NJ Transit approves $3B budget amid outcry over fare hikes,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: “NJ Transit’s board approved a $3 billion operating budget that will spend the last of the agency’s federal COVID-19 relief dollars and is expected to sharply raise fare collection revenue following the agency’s first fare hikes since 2019.” TAX TIME — “New way to file federal income tax returns, free and easy,” by NJ Spotlight News’ John Reitmeyer: “Many New Jersey residents will soon have a new way to file income tax returns, online and for free, under a tax-filing service enhancement announced by federal and state officials on Wednesday.” LEAVE LAW LOOPHOLE — “N.J. paid family leave law excludes millions because of gaping loophole, report says” by NJ.com’s Susan Livio: “New Jersey’s paid family leave program — which allows people to take time off to care for a sick relative or a new baby while collecting 85% of their earnings — all but excludes more than 1.7 million hourly workers because the law does not prevent employers from firing them, a new Rutgers University study found.”   A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:   BIDEN TIME TRUMP JERSEY-BOUND — “Trump returning to the Jersey Shore for a fundraiser,” by NJ.com’s Brent Johnson: "Former President Donald Trump is set to return to the Jersey Shore this weekend, for a private — and very pricey — campaign fundraiser.” LOCAL CANNABIS COP — “Jersey City ordered by state — again — to reinstate cops who used cannabis off-duty,” by POLITICO Pro’s Daniel Han: “For the second time in less than a year, New Jersey's Civil Service Commission ordered Jersey City to reinstate two cops who were fired after using cannabis off-duty.” MEANWHILE, IN PATERSON — “Former Paterson mayor Torres trying to get new charges dismissed,” by NorthJersey.com’s Joe Malinconico: “Joey Torres, the city’s former and convicted mayor, is trying to get his latest criminal charges dismissed. The pending case stems from the New Jersey Attorney General’s assertion that Torres breached the 2017 plea agreement that sent him to prison for 13 months.” M.I.A — “McIver’s Newark council seat could be vacant for a year,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Newark’s Central Ward could be without representation on the city council for nearly fourteen months if LaMonica McIver wins election to the U.S. House of Representatives in September, potentially gridlocking the state’s largest city while Mayor Ras Baraka is running for governor.”   SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, our newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRI     SOFT QUITTING — “Montclair's interim town manager doesn't want job permanently. Where that leaves the town.” by NorthJersey.com’s Nicholas Katzban: “Interim Township Manager Michael LaPolla said he will not apply to retain his job permanently, despite having been invited by council members to vie for a long-term appointment.” ANOTHER ONE — “Tarnished reputation of Palisades Park Police Department takes another hit,” by NorthJersey.com’s Kristie Cattafi: “The reputation of the borough's police department has taken one hit after another in the last decade as it dealt with personnel suspensions, lawsuits, and the arrest of police officers all while undergoing a heavy turnover in leadership with six police chiefs during that time.” RENT RAISES — “Hoboken council unanimously approves 1st reading of rent control compromise,” by John Heinis, Hudson County View: “The Hoboken City Council unanimously (8-0) approved the first reading of a rent control compromise in hopes of avoiding a referendum in the fall at last night’s special virtual meeting.”   A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: For New Jersey to be a place where everyone can achieve their healthiest life possible, we must acknowledge structural racism as a barrier to health equity and address it. The most effective way to change unfair systems and harmful policies is for affected communities and people to build power through collective action. When communities act together to voice their needs and hopes for the future, they can hold decisionmakers accountable, drive change, and make health accessible for all. A Policy Agenda for a Healthier, More Equitable New Jersey is a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that outlines how community power can become the engine that drives the changes needed to overcome inequity. Working together, communities can ensure equitable access to housing, support healthy births and maternal health, and improve public health infrastructure. See the plan.   EVERYTHING ELSE — “NJ Transit workers upset about possible switch to Aetna for health insurance” (NorthJersey.com) — “NJ Transit will spend $178M on new trains. Commuters say they need fixes now.” (NJ.com)   Follow us on Twitter Matt Friedman @mattfriedmannj   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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