Tammy Murphy fires campaign manager

Tammy Murphy leads Andy Kim in endorsements but trails in an FDU poll

The campaign is also dogged by allegations of nepotism

Incumbent Sen. Bob Menendez has not announced his re-election campaign

Ninety-nine days after officially announcing her run for U.S. Senate, Tammy Murphy has fired her campaign manager.

The New York Times was first to report that veteran political operative Max Glass was dismissed by the first lady's campaign on Thursday.

Campaign spokeswoman Alex Altman described the change as a "transition" and told the Times the campaign is still confident of a win in the June Democratic primary over U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J. 3rd District.

Glass is married to Mollie Binotto, who ran Gov. Phil Murphy's 2021 re-election campaign.

Both Kim and Murphy hope to replace incumbent U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez who has held the seat since 2006.

Menendez has maintained his innocence in federal conspiracy and treason charges but has not announced if he will seek re-election. He did not participate in the first primary debate between Kim and Murphy on Sunday.

Menendez has faced calls for his resignation, including from Kim before he announced his run, and from Gov. Phil Murphy.

Tammy Murphy, Andy Kim during their first debate 2/18/24 (New Jersey Globe via YouTube)

Many endorsements, low poll number

It has not been an easy campaign for Tammy Murphy.

An FDU poll this month gave Kim a substantial lead over Murphy — 32% to 20%. Murphy has received endorsements from across the state and won party lines on county ballots.

Questions of nepotism and the influence of her husband on getting those endorsements have dogged the campaign.

The College Democrats of New Jersey say they were bullied by a representative of the campaign to not endorse Kim or face consequences to their job prospects, according to The New York Times, which obtained a recording of the call.

An elected official who has endorsed Murphy told New York magazine that once in the privacy of a voting booth, he will not cast a ballot for her.

No successor to succeed Glass has been named.

The major party candidates who have announced a run in the primary are:

Democrats