Press "Enter" to skip to content

Galloway the ‘clear choice,’ says New Jersey governor

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Auditor Nicole Galloway joined New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy for a press call Friday afternoon to discuss the upcoming election.

“I think this election for governor is one where the choice could not be clearer,” Murphy said. “As Missouri tries to map through how it’s going to get through not just a pandemic, but an economic recovery, in addition to a national reckoning on the stain of racism, the choice could not be starker.”

Murphy criticized Republican incumbent Gov. Mike Parson’s response to the pandemic, pointing to his refusal to initiate a statewide mask mandate and his comments this summer about school children getting the virus.

The New Jersey Democrat praised Galloway, pointing to her support of families and small businesses and her work in the Auditor’s Office. 

“Electing Nicole Galloway governor means making sure that Missouri recovers from both the health and the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic,” he said.

Galloway praised Murphy’s work in New Jersey, pointing out similarities to the pandemic response plan she proposed in August and criticizing Parson’s actions over the past eight months.

“[Parson’s] administration is fumbling their response to a pandemic that’s already killed over 2,400 Missourians,” Galloway said. “This crisis is a test of leadership, and Gov. Parson has failed that test. Things are only getting worse, not better.”

Galloway discussed the measures she would take as governor, including a statewide mask mandate and the use of CARES Act funding to bolster schools. 

“Unfortunately we’ve seen our schools refrain from full in-person learning, due to delayed restarts or going online, and we’re seeing some kids that are falling behind or will fall behind,” Galloway said. “I would work with local school districts to identify additional learning needs or resources they would need to help bridge this gap.” 

Parson and Galloway faced off on these issues in last week’s gubernatorial debate. Parson defended his response to the pandemic, pointing to his emphasis on local control. 

“People at home should have a say in the rules and regulations that are placed on them,” he said. “No one person should be trying to make mandates for the entire state of Missouri. It’s a very diverse state where you have rural areas and urban areas. We should support the local levels.” 

Murphy earmarked Galloway’s bid for Missouri governor as one of the most important races across the country in a press call last week with the Democratic Governors Association, which he chairs. He called Galloway “a star” during the discussion. 

A recent poll found Galloway trailing with Missouri voters by 13 points, with 41 percent of those surveyed saying they would vote for Galloway and 54 percent backing Parson,

As of September, Parson had nearly $2 million cash on hand. Galloway boasted more than $2.1 million in her war-chest. 


EDITOR’S NOTE: For up-to-date information on coronavirus, check with the CDC and DHSS.