Murphy, a Democrat serving his second term, went on an eight-day vacation to the tourist-friendly Central American country when, back him, his home state was averaging 14,000 new COVID cases a day.
“We’re going to spend some time together as a family,” he told the media before departing. “Please, God, we need that.”
New Jersey resident Joe Connor, who leads the group We Win America, is a vocal critic of the governor and doesn’t hold back his thoughts.
"It's a disgrace. He's a terrible governor,” Connor says of Murphy. “He's not a man of us. The way that he treats us like subjects—the elitism is palpable."
Murphy, a multi-millionaire who retired from Goldman Sachs, succeeded former governor Chris Christie in office. Then-Gov. Christie ironically was a frequent target of Murphy for neglecting state business to travel in support of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
Fox News reports Gov. Murphy went to Costa Rica at the same time the U.S. State Department warned travelers should reconsider visiting there due to the pandemic.
Last August, Gov. Murphy jetted off to Italy for a 10-day vacation as the Delta variant spread throughout the state.
Connor says people have had enough of Murphy.
“I want time with my family, too,” Connor says, “but not stuck quarantined in my house."