Is Phil Murphy running for president in 2028?

Phil Murphy, the former governor of New Jersey who served two terms and left office in January 2026, has not taken a 2028 presidential run off the table but treats it as a remote possibility. Asked about his interest at the close of his gubernatorial term, Murphy said he had 'not taken anything off the table' but 'wouldn't put a lot of money on that,' a formulation that signals personal skepticism rather than active planning. He has not filed with the Federal Election Commission or taken any formal campaign steps.

Murphy's background is a mix of politics and finance. He served as the Democratic governor of New Jersey for two full terms, winning in 2017 and again in 2021 - one of the few Democrats to win a second term in that office in modern history. Before that, he was the U.S. Ambassador to Germany under President Obama and had a long career at Goldman Sachs. His term ended in January 2026, succeeded by Democratic governor Mikie Sherrill. Since leaving office he has remained active in party circles but has not launched any 2028 campaign infrastructure.

Murphy is constitutionally eligible to run for president. He is a natural-born U.S. citizen. He is 68 years old as of mid-2026, above the constitutional minimum of 35, and would be approximately 71 years old on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2029. He has been a U.S. resident well in excess of the required 14 years. No legal bar prevents a candidacy.

The 2028 Democratic field as of mid-2026 is led by Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez based on polling and prediction markets. Murphy barely registers in early 2028 Democratic primary polls - typically at roughly 1 percent or less - and is not a meaningful factor in prediction markets. His honest self-assessment ('I wouldn't put a lot of money on that') tracks with the data: he is a possible but long-shot entrant whose profile and fundraising network are more relevant to future influence than to a competitive primary run.