This Week in Politics: It's Getting Ugly Between NJ's Two Most Powerful Democrats

When New Jerseyans elected Phil Murphy governor last year, conventional wisdom held that it would usher in a new era of progressive government in the Garden State.

The prior eight years had seen repeated standoffs between Republican Governor Chris Christie and the overwhelmingly Democratic legislature. But Murphy had campaigned as an unabashed progressive, promoting a millionaire's tax, recreational marijuana legalization and increased funding for schools and mass transit. 

Three months in, many of Murphy's priorities have failed to gain traction in the Statehouse. And as the governor's relationship with State Senate President Steve Sweeney continues to deteriorate, it's a question whether many ever will.

Matt Arco, politics reporter for The Star-Ledger and NJ.com, joins us for a look at a relationship that has been rocky from day one and seems to have only only gotten more contentious.

This week, Sweeney announced he was holding up the nominations of Murphy's picks for education commissioner and higher education secretary, who are both black, over school funding. Asked for his reaction to the delay, Murphy spoke about the diversity of his cabinet nominees and said both individuals were black PhDs who deserved to be confirmed.

Sweeney says the problem is over school funding, not race. Then, he accused Murphy of using Trump-like tactics to brand him as a racist.

While both men blame media coverage for inflating the significance of any tension between them, Matt Arco says Sweeney's words speak volumes. Matt says, "Steve Sweeney comparing Phil Murphy's action to Donald Trump - that's a heck of a verbal jab there against the new governor."