We’ve been saying since the day Phil Murphy got the job here as governor that he was only here using us as a stepping stone for his higher political ambitions. And that’s proving to be true.

With his skyrocketing approval ratings, high profile and ability to wave his magic wand every 30 days with each extension of the state health emergency, he’s raising his profile.

An Inside NJ New Jersey article published an interview with the governor where he apparently described this as his “dream job.” Asked about whether he would consider a cabinet position in the Biden administration, he was pretty clear that he would want to stick around and run for re-election.

“I have my dream job,” Murphy insisted. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Can you blame him?

This IS a dream job, even when it comes to governorships. There is no state in the land that has allowed or would allow as much power to a governor as we have done here in New Jersey. I don’t know how many states have in their constitutions the ability of a governor to extend an emergency executive order at will and indefinitely, but that makes this state the most fun to govern for a guy like Phil Murphy.

He makes the rules, no one can argue, and with his trusty emergency executive orders, there’s basically nothing anyone can do about it. Every 30 days he can extend his power and that suits him just fine. Eventually, considering his huge approval ratings, he will certainly be elected a second time. Then, after THAT, he’ll have plenty of time to go pursue his bigger political ambitions, which are what brought him here in the first place. So why would he leave now? Once he goes to Washington, D.C., there’ll be checks and balances. He’ll have people to answer to and a quorum to work with. Here, he is supreme leader — and he likes it that way just fine, thank you very much. It’s a dream job.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi's own.

CHECK IT OUT: 10 Items That May Be in Short Supply This Winter

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM