NEWARK — Phil Murphy was dejected but defiant Wednesday afternoon as he tried to make sense of this week’s election.

He began by saying that “free and fair elections” are a hallmark of democracy, but his speech at the city’s state office was more than just a tribute to American democracy.

He was also ready to fight.

“If there is an attack from Washington on the Garden State or any of its communities, I will fight back with every fiber of my being.”

That sounded a bit cryptic, even strange. Does he expect a military invasion?

Asked to explain, the governor said it must be assumed that federal action will somehow attempt to weaken New Jersey’s laws protecting abortion rights and gun control.

Then there’s the threat of Donald Trump’s mass deportation, which prompted the governor to muse on whether he really plans to round up immigrants.

If so, Murphy said the state will use all the power it has to stand with the immigrant community.

At the same time, Murphy said that when Trump became governor, he was president and the men worked together during COVID and when Trump granted federal approval to build a new portal bridge on a rail line to Manhattan. So that could happen again.

As for the election itself, Murphy acknowledged that Democrats’ victory margins were much lower than in 2020. He called the entire episode a sobering experience.

Kamala Harris won New Jersey by about five points; Joe Biden won by three times as much.

He praised Republicans for playing their cards right and said their talk of crime, immigration and a bad economy resonated despite evidence to the contrary.

For example, several studies show that New Jersey’s violent crime rate is among the lowest in the country.

The governor also acknowledged Democrats’ problem with Hispanics, who were once a reliable base. He said some of it is simple messaging, but the party also needs to reassess how it meets the needs of the Hispanic community.

And as far as Democrats losing steam in New Jersey, Murphy conceded:

“Our race (in 2021) may have been the canary in the coal mine.”

That’s when Murphy defeated Republican Jack Ciatarelli by only about three points.

It was a pretty candid admission, but how far does it go?

In some ways, every election is its own story.

A year after that 2021 election, Democrats across the country did much better than expected in the midterm elections. And last year, Democrats won six seats in the state legislature, repelling a strong Republican challenge. So maybe that canary was wrong.

Which brings us to this year and Trump’s power at the top.

said Murphy:

“He has an uncanny ability to connect with people – even when it’s not in their best interest.”

The governor was also asked about the issue of race and gender. He responded that he didn’t think this was a factor in a state as diverse as New Jersey.

But Murphy said that may have been the case nationwide, “which sucks.”

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