New Jersey's governor says he will fight “to the death” against Trump's actions “contrary to values.”

In a question-and-answer session following President-elect Trump's victory, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy warned that he would “fight to the death” against the administration if he found behavior “contrary to our values.” .

“[A]“If we respect the peaceful transition of power, if there is an attack from Washington on the Garden State or any of its communities, I will defend myself with every fiber of my being,” Murphy said.

“If there is an opportunity for common ground, we will seize it as quickly as anyone else,” he added.

State Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio, R-Hackettstown, told Fox News Digital that Murphy was missing “the message” voters sent with the initial rhetoric on Tuesday.

“It is time for the governor to recognize that his values ​​may not reflect the values ​​of New Jerseyans as broadly as he assumes,” he said.

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“While Murphy is willing to spend resources on political battles with Trump, it's hard to see how that squares with the priorities of struggling families, working taxpayers and business owners who want to focus more on their needs,” said DiMaio.

Murphy, who will begin his final year in Trenton after Trump's inauguration, praised Trump for his “uncanny ability to connect with people even when it's not in their best interest” after the Republican came literally close to winning the blue bastion to conquer.

While Murphy dismissed a reporter's question about whether New Jersey was in play going forward, he noted that Trump lost by just 4%, compared to 16% in 2020.

“I don’t think we’re a swing state,” he said, adding that aside from Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s victory in the Route 22 corridor, he was pleased with the results of the vote. Kean is a Republican.

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He pointed to Republicans' success in communicating on the immigration crisis, adding the caveat that their successful rhetoric may not have matched the facts on the ground.

Trump won Passaic County, an ethnically diverse suburb of New York City, but the voting results skewed Democrats. Murphy pointed to this as an example of voters choosing Trump personally rather than Republicans wholesale.

He suggested the same was true in North Carolina, pointing out that Trump won the state but Democratic Attorney General Joshua Stein was elected governor.

“Just as it is our responsibility to continue to stand up against any threat to our state or our people, it is also our responsibility to seize every opportunity we have to work with them.” [Trump] “To protect and empower the people of our state, because that’s what responsible leaders do,” Murphy added.

He also praised Trump for quickly approving the new Portal North Railroad Bridge in Secaucus and providing support during the coronavirus pandemic.

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A view of the entrance to Trump National Golf Club. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Responding to Trump's administration, Murphy said he took an inventive approach during the last administration, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reportedly conducted raids looking for illegal immigrants.

“There was a time when ICE would randomly show up on street corners and arrest … brothers and sisters from the immigrant community,” Murphy said.

The governor, who lives in Middletown Township near Sandy Hook, said he had heard that “an area near where I live was at risk.”

“I was just there one evening with my [security] Detail and just hung out,” he said, noting ICE wasn’t shown at the time.

“I don’t know whether that deterred them or not, but it’s an example of a small step that we’re willing to try anything if it goes against our values.”

As the gubernatorial race to succeed him in 2025 continues to heat up, Murphy said his three-point victory in 2021 may have been “the canary in the coal mine” for Democrats in the state in assessing the political landscape.