WASHINGTON -- Gov. Phil Murphy joined the governors of Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island in a coalition to strengthen gun laws. He returned the state to a regional compact to reduce the greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.

On Saturday, he joined with nine other Democratic governors at a press conference to highlight the differences between their policies and those of President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress.

With New Jersey's governorship switching from red (Chris Christie) to blue (Murphy), the Garden State's voice has been added to the chorus of Democratic governors as they take on Trump on issues such as guns and the environment.

"Our collective impact is that much bigger," Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said.

Murphy and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, the Democratic class of 2017, were the featured speakers Saturday at the Democratic Governors Association event. They ticked off a number of issues they planned to push back on, including offshore oil drilling, immigration and gun control.

"We were the state that the American recovery left behind," Murphy said at the podium. "I've a turnaround story on my hand -- eight years of flat economic growth and huge inequities -- and so we have to turn that around at the same time we're batting back all the stuff that's coming at us out of this town by the Trump administration and the Republican leadership in Congress."

Murphy's presence on a national stage came as Democrats seek to gain governorships in a year where the Republican president is historically unpopular.

The massive turnout in both New Jersey and Virginia last year, which helped the Democrats win numerous down-ballot legislative seats in addition to both governorships, has the party bullish on November.

"Democratic governors are the leaders who are not going to cower at the feet of Donald Trump," said Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, the DGA chairman. "That will be a clear choice."

Murphy is in town to attend his first National Governors Association conference, including joining his fellow governors at the White House to meet with Trump.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.