TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Former vice presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore, Obama administration Attorney General Eric Holder and the Gold Star father who clashed with Donald Trump will be campaigning for Democrat Phil Murphy in the final weeks before New Jersey elects the successor to Gov. Chris Christie, the campaign said Thursday.
The list of top Democratic surrogates comes as Murphy and Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno approach the final weeks before the Nov. 7 contest. Christie, a Republican, is term-limited. Murphy leads Guadagno by double-digits in several public polls and has a cash advantage.
Murphy’s campaign earlier announced that former President Barack Obama will be campaigning for him as well, but hasn’t released details.
Murphy has never held elected office, but served as Obama’s ambassador to Germany from 2009 to 2013. Before that, he was an executive at Goldman Sachs.
Khizr Khan, the Gold Star dad whose son was killed in Iraq in 2004, became a national celebrity when he taunted Trump for his divisive comments about Muslims at the Democratic National Convention.
The list of surrogates also includes New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, former Secretary of State John Kerry and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez.
Gabby Giffords, the former Democratic congresswoman from Arizona and gun control advocate, and her husband, Mark Kelly, will also be pulling for Murphy. They endorsed Murphy earlier this year.
Also facing Murphy and Guadagno are Green and Libertarian party candidates and two independents.
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