To the Editor:

I hope that area Democrats will make a point of voting in the Primary Election in New Jersey on Tuesday, June 6.

New Jersey is one of two states to elect a governor this year — the other is Virginia — and the stakes are high in terms of combatting and/or blocking the retrogressive agenda of the Republican president.

Of the many Democratic candidates on the ballot, I personally believe that one stands out: Phil Murphy, former finance chair of the Democratic Party under Chair Howard Dean, and ambassador to Germany in the Obama administration.

Because Murphy, who grew up in a working poor family, had a successful career in finance at Goldman Sachs, his opponents have accused him of buying his way into New Jersey politics.

That is just not true. Phil Murphy declared his intention to run early on. He has taken time to get to know local decision-makers all over New Jersey. He has paid attention to the issues and developed a progressive agenda to deal with the problems of the state. That is why he has the endorsement of every county in New Jersey, including our own, which he won by 90 percent in a secret-ballot vote.

I recommend voting for Phil Murphy for governor and for the Democratic candidates for state, county, and local legislative offices.

Scotia W. MacRae
Evelyn Place