Vincent Joseph Murphy (August 1, 1893 – June 8, 1976) was an American labor leader and Democratic Party politician from
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. He was
Mayor of Newark, New Jersey
The Mayor of Newark is the head of the executive branch of government of Newark, New Jersey, United States. The mayor has the duty to enforce the municipal charter and ordinances; prepare the annual budget; appoint deputy mayors, department head ...
from 1941 to 1949 and the Democratic nominee for
Governor of New Jersey
The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...
in 1943.
Biography
Murphy was born on August 1, 1893 in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.United Association in 1913, serving as the secretary-treasurer from 1920 to 1938. He was named secretary-treasurer of the state American Federation of Labor in 1933."Who's Who in Labor" (Dryden Press, 1946).
Murphy first entered politics in 1937, competing for a seat on the five-man Newark City Commission with 49 other candidates. Though he bested the field, he was denied the position of Mayor (traditionally awarded to the highest vote-getter) because of the opposition of Democratic political boss
Frank Hague
Frank Hague (January 17, 1876 – January 1, 1956) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from 1917 to 1947, Democratic National Committeeman from New Jersey from 1922 until 1949, and Vice ...
. In 1941 he again outpolled all other candidates, and with the support of Hague was named Mayor of Newark by his fellow City Commissioners.
In 1943 Murphy ran as the Democratic candidate for
Governor of New Jersey
The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...
against
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Walter Evans Edge
Walter Evans Edge (November 20, 1873October 29, 1956) was an American diplomat and Republican politician who served as the 36th governor of New Jersey, from 1917 to 1919 and again from 1944 to 1947, during both World War I and World War II. Edge ...
, who had come out of retirement after serving as
United States Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
and
United States Ambassador to France
The United States ambassador to France is the official representative of the president of the United States to the president of France. The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with France since the American Revolution. Relations we ...
, as well as Governor during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Edge warned that a Democratic victory would lead to domination of "labor leaders, communists and Hagueism." Murphy was defeated by Edge by a margin of 127,000 votes.Biography of Walter E. Edge (PDF)
New Jersey State Library
The New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and Judiciary. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and ...
.
Murphy was reelected as Mayor of Newark in 1945, but he was defeated in 1949, in a year when the Hague machine was overturned after 32 years of domination. He did not seek political office after the 1949 defeat, returning to his role in labor leadership. When the New Jersey AFL put aside its rivalry with the CIO in 1961, Murphy was named president of the newly formed New Jersey AFL-CIO. He served in this position until his retirement in 1970.
In 1976 Murphy died at his home in Spring Lake, New Jersey at the age of 83.
The Political Graveyard
The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information. The name comes from the website's inclusion of burial locations o ...