BOSTON—The difference is clear in the latest jobs numbers released this week: Republican Chris Christie loses thousands of jobs in New Jersey while investments made by Governor Deval Patrick and the Democratic Legislature are still helping to grow jobs here.

“Looking at the new jobs numbers, it’s clear that Republican Charlie Baker needs to continue investing in life sciences and clean energy to keep our state’s economy moving forward like it has the last few years,” said Mass Dems Spokesman Pat Beaudry.

General Electric’s pharmaceutical division will be shuttering their New Jersey operations and heading to the life sciences-friendly Bay State as yet another example of how Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick’s investments in that industry have strengthened the Massachusetts economy.

Building a new 160,000 square-foot campus in Marlborough, GE’s life sciences division will create hundreds of new jobs in Massachusetts – attracted by the life science clusters that continue to grow in Cambridge and Marlborough due to proactive investments by Massachusetts’ Democratic leadership, including former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick.

“While the Massachusetts economy continues to grow as a result of key investments, we hope that GE life science division’s move to Massachusetts serves as a reminder to Republican Baker that proactive investments are necessary to compete in our global economy,” said Mass Dems Spokesman Pat Beaudry. “As American voters continue to learn how poorly the New Jersey economy has done with Republican Gov. Chris Christie at the helm, we Bay Staters can only hope Gov. Baker is not taking his advice on how to create jobs.”

Of note, Republican Gov. Baker did not fund the Massachusetts Life Science Center in his initial budget plan this year.