NJ governor weighs in on Newsom attacking DeSantis in Florida: ‘I like it’

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is offering support for California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) new ad in Florida that targets Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and invites Floridians to move to California. 

In an appearance on CNN’s “New Day” on Tuesday, Murphy said he liked his fellow Democratic governor’s approach when asked by host Brianna Keilar about Newsom’s 30-second ad slamming DeSantis over a wave of new legislation targeting LGBTQ rights, voting rights, critical race theory and abortion. 

“I think we need to stand up and be counted and make sure we remind folks around the country, if you value values come to states like New Jersey and I suspect that’s exactly what Gov. Newsom has in mind in terms of California’s values,” Murphy said.

He said the U.S. is still “the greatest nation on Earth” but that “war has been declared by a right-wing Supreme Court bloc against American women” with the court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade’s constitutional protections for abortion rights.

He also criticized the court for a decision last month that rejected a New York law preventing people from carrying concealed weapons. Murphy said the country had done too little to prevent gun violence in the wake of the latest shooting on the Fourth of July in Highland Park, Ill.

“And look at the tragedy that happened yesterday in a Highland Park. So we are a great nation but we are in challenging troubled times right now. And women especially are paying a huge price,” he added.

Murphy also spoke about the two bills he signed into law on Friday that ensures out-of-state residents who come to New Jersey can access reproductive services and reproductive health care providers.