Murphy's lead over Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli on Wednesday was razor-thin, despite opinion polls going into Tuesday's vote showing the Garden State chief with a sizeable lead. Murphy's victory is the first time in 44 years a Democrat has won re-election in the state, which tends to vote liberal.
On Wednesday evening, Murphy had 50.0% of the vote and Ciattarelli had 49.2%, with Murphy leading by just under 20,000 votes and 87% of ballots counted.
Shortly after the AP called the election in Murphy's favor, the incumbent governor issued his victory speech in Asbury Park, New Jersey, telling supporters that "if you want to know where America is headed, look to New Jersey."
Civil rights groups sued on Tuesday to get New Jersey's voting hours extended past 8 pm after several localities reported delays and technical difficulties, including getting voting tablets connected to the internet. However, a state Supreme Court judge declined their request, saying there was no evidence of voter disenfranchisement caused by the delays.
"We want every legal vote counted," the GOP candidate told his supporters late on Tuesday evening. "And you all know the way the VBMs (vote by mail) work and the provisionals work; we've gotta have time to make sure that every legal vote is counted."
However, Ciattarelli has not yet conceded the race, nor has the New Jersey Division of Elections declared Murphy the victor.
Elsewhere on Election Day, Democrats have not fared so well. In Virginia, former Governor Terry McAuliffe lost a tight race against Republican challenger Glenn Youngkin. Politicos supporting both sides cast the competition as a "referendum" on the Biden administration's agenda nine months into his presidency.