By Matt Arco | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Gov.-elect Phil Murphy visited Puerto Rico on Friday.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Gov.-elect Phil Murphy landed in Puerto Rico on Friday and agreed to welcome people temporarily displaced from the storm-ravaged island to take shelter in New Jersey.

It was a one-day trip to the U.S. territory that included a a lunch with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello, a tour of a shelter for hurricane victims and a briefing from federal and local officials.

Here's an inside look at Murphy's one-day trip.

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Within an hour after he landed here, Murphy and his wife, Tammy Murphy, had a private lunch with Rossello at the governor's official residence, La Fortaleza, a sixteenth century structure that's half palace and half fortress and is perched along the coast.

They talked behind closed doors for more than an hour.

Murphy, a Democrat, said they discussed the hurricane recovery and the need to lobby federal lawmakers for relief aid, as well as another issue Murphy has been fighting back home: A federal Republican tax plan Murphy said would disproportionately hurt a handful of high-tax states like New Jersey.

The plan that's making its way through Congress will further harm Puerto Rico's recovery, both governors agreed.

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Puerto Rico is still reeling from the storm, FEMA officials would later tell the governor. About 500,000 meals a day are distributed to agency to people across the island nearly three months after the hurricane.

The storm killed dozens of people, knocked out power to the island's 3 million residents and caused up to an estimated $95 billion in damage.

"If there's a need, we want to be there," Murphy told officials.

"This is about seeing it with out own eyes," he said. "We want to go back and say, 'This is what we saw and these are three-to-five steps that we have to take (to help)."

New Jersey has the third-largest Puerto Rican population, he said. Nearly 500,000 Puerto Ricans call the Garden State home.

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'Our arms are open'

"New Jersey needs to have its arms open," Murphy said, during his one-day visit.

Later, Murphy met with hurricane victims and was briefed by local and federal officials on the recovery.

In the meeting with Hector Pesquera, the Puerto Rico commissioner of Safety and Public Protection, Murphy asked what else New Jersey could do to help. Pesquera responded there may come a time when temporarily displaced people need a place to take shelter.

Yes, Murphy responded, New Jersey would step up to the challenge.

"In this hour of need our doors are open for folks who feel like, even if it's a temporary respite, even to get their lives back on their feet," Murphy said. "We want to make sure they know that they are welcome in New Jersey."

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What brought him here?

Murphy said the trip here was "something that we committed to" during his gubernatorial campaign.

Here's the story: Murphy, his wife Tammy and their four children vacationed for several years in Puerto Rico for Christmas and New Years Eve, the incoming governor said. They planned to come here again this year, but after Hurricane Irma struck the island in early September, they instead decided their visit would include "days of service" with the family during the vacation, Murphy said.

Weeks later, Maria consumed Puerto Rico.

The damage to the was so devastating, Phil and Tammy Murphy chose instead to lead a delegation of New Jersey state and officials to tour the capital city, the governor-elect said.

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Shoutout to Christie

Murphy succeeds Gov. Chris Christie on Jan. 16.

In September, Christie sent hundreds of emergency workers, including New Jersey's National Guard and State Police, to Puerto Rico to help with the recovery after Maria devastated the island's of 3.4 million people.

The officers helped deliver water, food and other supplies.

It was the state's largest deployment of first responders for a disaster outside of New Jersey since Hurricane Katrina hit states along the Gulf of Mexico, Christie said when he authorized the deployment.

Murphy praised Christie, a Republican, or the deployment.

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Christie, who he relentlessly attacked for 18 months on the campaign trail, was "right on" with his response, Murphy said.

"I want to give a shoutout to Gov. Christie, who came up early and strong, and who I think sent a group that's well over a thousand folks," Murphy said.

"We are proud, regardless of what side of the aisle we're on, that New Jersey was one of the early movers," he said.

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Murphy and delegation visits a shelter that housed nearly 200 people after the storm. Still has 2 dozen ppl months later. pic.twitter.com/unOolKFyAh — Matt Arco (@MatthewArco) December 15, 2017

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We finished our trip to Puerto Rico in a San Juan shelter, meeting displaced residents and listening to their stories. Puerto Ricans are our fellow Americans, and we must commit to helping them rebuild over rhe long term. #NJinPR pic.twitter.com/QH9luSKGgg — Phil Murphy (@PhilMurphyNJ) December 15, 2017

Murphy then toured a shelter in San Juan, where two dozen people still lived nearly three months after the storm. Amid the height of the aftermath, about 200 people were living here, according to the shelter officials.

"It's tough," Murphy said, after he met with some of the people living at the shelter, an open school gym where people lived on cots in separate corners of the massive structure. All of their possessions were tucked underneath their beds.

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Murphy led a delegation of about two dozen officials from New Jersey who had a vested interest in the territory's recovery. Among the entourage were state lawmakers who have ties to Puerto Rico, as well as business leaders and church community leaders.

The delegation pressed what they could do to help from New Jersey. They also delivered $10,000 worth of medical supplies, lanterns, school supplies and other donations for the island.

Rossello praised Murphy for his election victory.

Murphy promised not to be a "fair-weather friend."

The incoming governor added: "We will be back."

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.