By: Andrew Carlson

As a fierce nor’easter bore down on New Jersey over the weekend, Governor Phil Murphy was nowhere to be found — not in Trenton, not in his seaside mansion in Monmouth County, and certainly not at any of the state’s emergency command centers. Instead, as The New York Post reported on Sunday, the term-limited Democrat was enjoying a European getaway with his wife, First Lady Tammy Murphy, leaving Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way to declare a state of emergency on his behalf Saturday night.

“In preparation for this storm, I am issuing a State of Emergency for all 21 counties out of an abundance of caution, authorizing our state’s emergency services personnel to activate as necessary,” Acting Governor Way said in a late-night statement — a sobering message that stood in sharp contrast to her boss’s international itinerary.

According to an Oct. 8 press advisory reviewed by The New York Post, Murphy’s office had informed reporters that the governor and first lady would be traveling to Europe on Oct. 9 to attend “a close family friend’s wedding,” with a planned return date of Oct. 14. The advisory made no mention of the developing weather system, which forecasters had been tracking for days and which has since pummeled parts of the Garden State with heavy rain, coastal flooding, and power outages.

By the time Way’s declaration went out, the storm was already battering coastal communities from Cape May to Long Branch, forcing local officials to close roads and brace for high winds and rising tides.

Murphy’s office insists he has remained “in close communication” with his team and state emergency officials, though spokesman Tyler Jones declined to say whether the governor planned to cut his trip short in light of the storm’s severity.

“Governor Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy are out of state this weekend to attend a close family friend’s wedding in Europe,” Jones told The New York Post in a statement Sunday evening. “The governor has been in close communication with his team and emergency response officials regarding the nor’easter storm impacting the East Coast.”

Still, the explanation did little to silence a chorus of critics who accused the governor of abandoning his post at a time of crisis. Social media users flooded Acting Governor Way’s X (formerly Twitter) announcement with confusion and scorn.

“Where is the governor?” one commenter demanded.

“Who are you?” asked another.

Way, who serves concurrently as New Jersey’s Secretary of State, was sworn in as lieutenant governor in September 2023 following the sudden death of her predecessor, Sheila Oliver — who, in an uncanny twist of history, also died while serving as acting governor during one of Murphy’s out-of-state trips.

As The New York Post report pointed out, this latest episode has revived long-standing frustrations about Murphy’s penchant for travel — often at inopportune moments.

The governor’s critics say the optics could not be worse. Murphy’s well-documented habit of leaving the state — and the country — during emergencies or periods of heightened public concern has repeatedly drawn fire from political rivals and taxpayers alike.

In December 2021, for example, Murphy was lambasted for taking an eight-day Christmas vacation to Costa Rica as COVID-19 cases in New Jersey soared to record highs. The trip, which marked at least the third time the Murphys had visited the Central American nation since taking office, came amid surging hospitalizations and renewed restrictions on indoor gatherings.

“New Jerseyans were told to hunker down while the governor was drinking piña coladas in paradise,” one political consultant told The New York Post at the time.

According to the paper’s reporting, Murphy’s family has since made the Costa Rica retreat something of a tradition, returning there in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 — each trip coinciding with either legislative sessions or winter storms back home.

Now, with a powerful nor’easter ripping through the Garden State, the governor’s decision to jet off to Europe for a wedding has again fueled perceptions of misplaced priorities.

“It’s not about whether he’s in touch by phone or Zoom,” said a Republican state lawmaker who spoke to The New York Post on background. “It’s about leadership. People expect to see their governor standing in front of a podium, flanked by emergency managers, not clinking champagne glasses at a destination wedding.”

While Murphy’s absence dominated headlines, Acting Governor Tahesha Way quietly shouldered the responsibilities of crisis management — a role she has had little time to grow into since her appointment last year.

Way, a seasoned attorney and former Passaic County freeholder, has largely stayed out of the political spotlight. But in Murphy’s absence, she was thrust into center stage, signing the executive order that mobilized the New Jersey State Police, Office of Emergency Management, and Department of Transportation to respond to the storm.

Her swift action drew praise from emergency officials but also underscored an uncomfortable truth: this is the second time in as many years that a lieutenant governor has had to assume command during Murphy’s travels.

When Sheila Oliver — Way’s predecessor — died suddenly in August 2023 while serving as acting governor, Murphy was vacationing in Italy, reportedly at his family’s $7.3 million villa in Parrano, Umbria. The episode left the state briefly without a designated leader and sparked debate over whether the governor’s frequent trips abroad could compromise New Jersey’s chain of command during emergencies.

As The New York Post report noted, Murphy’s European real estate holdings have become a recurring political sore spot, symbolizing what opponents describe as his detachment from the average New Jerseyan.

By early Sunday, New Jersey’s coastal counties were bearing the brunt of the nor’easter, with local police departments reporting downed trees, flash flooding, and tens of thousands of power outages. Acting Governor Way continued to coordinate with emergency agencies throughout the day, issuing travel advisories and urging residents to avoid unnecessary driving.

Meanwhile, Murphy’s absence became the subject of biting commentary across social media and local talk radio. “The only thing missing from this state of emergency,” one caller quipped on 101.5 FM, “is the actual governor.”

Political analysts told The New York Post that while the storm itself might pass quickly, the optics could linger far longer — particularly as Murphy’s term winds down and speculation swirls over his next move, possibly on the national stage.

“Murphy has always had ambitions beyond Trenton,” said one Democratic strategist quoted by The New York Post. “But every time something like this happens, it chips away at the image of a leader who’s in touch with the people he governs. It reinforces the narrative that he’s a jet-setting elitist, not a hands-on manager.”

For now, Murphy remains abroad, and his office has given no indication that he will return before the nor’easter runs its course. In his absence, Tahesha Way has taken on the mantle of leadership with a calm, businesslike demeanor that many residents found reassuring.

Still, the situation raises broader questions about executive accountability and the symbolic importance of presence. “Leadership in a crisis isn’t just about managing logistics; it’s about showing up,” said a New Jersey Republican official.

Murphy’s defenders argue that the governor has every right to take personal time, particularly in a term-limited final year, and that modern communications allow him to oversee the state’s response remotely. But even among allies, there is quiet acknowledgment that his travel habits have become a political liability.

“Phil’s a competent governor, but he’s got a blind spot when it comes to optics,” said a former Democratic official quoted by The New York Post. “When people are sandbagging their homes and you’re sipping espresso in Tuscany or dancing at a wedding in Europe, it’s not a great look.”

By Sunday evening, as the rain intensified and floodwaters rose along the Passaic River, Acting Governor Way’s calm, steady leadership stood in stark contrast to the governor’s silence abroad.

For many New Jersey residents, it felt like déjà vu: another emergency, another absent leader, and another reminder that even the most powerful office in the state cannot be run on autopilot.

As The New York Post report observed, “For Phil Murphy, the storm at home may prove harder to outrun than the one battering New Jersey’s shores.”