This means Republican governor Christie gets to appoint a new senator. Christie’s up for re-election this year so this makes an interesting race more interesting. As a NJ resident, I think Christie will probably win the election. He’s an incumbent, fairly moderate and reasonably well liked even if I personally think he’s an incompetent, crude, disgusting neanderthal who manages to embody every single ugly NJ stereotype.
Can he appoint himself?
He’s cruising to re-election as governor. Can’t imagine why he’d want to go into the Senate.
RIP Sen. Lautenberg, and thanks for your service.
Now to the immediate issues: Is the appointment subject to legislative confirmation, or can Christie do it unilaterally? IOW is the appointee going to represent a party switch? And does Christie feel obliged to appoint a Pub anyway, given his recent treatment?
Who might be the options from among the NJ GOP, and how vulnerable would they be to coercion by the Baggers? For that matter, if the Lege is going to force a Dem appointment, who might *that *be? Would Christie just say “Screw you guys, I’m naming Cory Booker”?
He’s not going to appoint himself. Christie doesn’t want the job at least in part because Lautenberg’s seat is up for re-election next year. I wonder who he will appoint. Lautenberg should not have run in the first place. He was simply too damned old.
I’m not a NJ resident, but my impression of him is almost totally at odds with yours.
I’ve seen him eschew party ideology in favor of simply getting something done that needed doing (Hurricane Sandy), and that goes a long way since ATM Republicans seem to be very entrenched in a “party solidarity” attitude.
He’s self effacing, as his recent appearance on David Letterman showed. He was seriously poking fun at himself and his weight, and he seemed to enjoy the jokes as much as the audience.
And when he talks, he doesn’t tap dance around issues, he just says what he thinks.
I admit I don’t know as much about NJ politics as you likely do, but Christie comes off as more human and more focused on humans than the average politician. Hell, if he and Cory Booker were on the same ticket, I’d vote for them.
Lautenberg had a long career of public service. He deserves a moment of remembrance.
Senator Springsteen. You heard it here first.
He was one of my favorite Senators. I voted for him in 2008 and would have voted for him again if he was running next year. I hope Christie picks Booker as his replacement, as he will be elected Senator in five months anyway.
No way in tarnation is he going to appoint himself. He still has an eye on the White House and that move would greatly diminish his chances. I don’t like his chances too much, although I admire his character as shown in this video, the heads of Tea Party types will explode if this comes out in the 2016 primaries. Not to mention, he has been seen being nice to and working with the man they think is the antiChrist.
I expect him to nominate a Democrat. Nominating a Republican would certainly be seen as a hamfisted move and lessen his standing among Democrats.
You’re right. You’re not a NJ resident and probably not as tuned in as someone like myself who lives here. Christie is not particularly self effacing nor is he a particularly nice guy.
Here he is standing by Mittens and making a crude oral sex joke about female protestors.
He’s also just incompetent. He lost us $400 million in education funding. As for Sandy’s effects has that we should just mindlessly rebuild instead of thinking intelligently and finding better solutions. That isn’t an abstraction to me. While I was personally lucky and we actually had power during the storm, my daughter was out of school for a week and driving in the neighborhood was a nightmare. I want someone from either party who is willing to figure out how to solve this problem rather than just putting up infrastructure that may blow away again.
I don’t give a damn about the guy’s weight. Frankly I find such comments inappropriate. I do care very much that my taxes have gone up while he’s been governor and that he’s attacked teachers repeatedly. I moved into this state from NYC primarily for one reason: good schools. That’s how to keep people here and I don’t think he gets that. You can’t do that by constantly insulting teachers as a basic method of discourse.
That’s just such a fucking asshole thing for him to state. As a former teacher who left the profession because people think it is so easy when it is not, I am sick and fucking tired of attitudes like that one. He insults hard working public sector employees while lionizing shitty, greedy investment bankers who do nothing but literally steal from the public.
It is typical Republican thinking and it sucks.
Seventeen months, isn’t it? But you’re right, getting the next Senator that much more seniority could be helpful eventually, and that’s going to be a good argument if he chooses to make it.
Does anyone know if the NJ Gov can make the appointment without the legislature approving it?
There is no way he would nominate a Democrat; that would destroy any possibility of him running for President and probably bring out Republican opposition in the next primary.
I think his choices are between a caretaker (who won’t run in the next election) or a strong candidate.
It’s not clear, since there are conflicting clauses in the law.
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My guess is that it will be this November. If it goes to the State Supreme Court, they would likely favor the earlier election date.
I don’t know about that. When they have the power to do so by their state constitution it’s a gentleman’s agreement and tradition for US governors to replace tapped or exiting senators with someone from that same party.
Already a thread here:
All respect to the senator and I’m sorry he’s dead. I just wish he’d had the sense and decency to fucking retire before dying, so another Dem could perhaps get his seat. As it stands, Christie will appoint a Rep to the seat. I know it really doesn’t matter at this point, as the Republicans are intent on fucking us all over with the filibusters and not allowing any meaningful legislation to be passed for the next three years (or more). It just annoys me, is all. I wish the rest of the dinosaurs would retire.
RIP Sen Lautenberg.
As to the appointment, I hope he finds the most moderate Republican he can, preferably one that will cast a deciding vote on immigration reform. Supporting gun control would help too. The Senate needs more truly moderate Republicans more than another NE Democrat, IMO, especially in the short term.
You do realize, do you not, that Politifact rated that story as Mostly True? So I guess I would agree with you - this is typical of Republicans, or at least it should be.
Regards,
Shodan
What should be? That teachers are overpaid? Christie governs by schadenfreude. He pits the middle class against themselves but does not fix any real problems. But at least those making more than a million dollars a year didn’t get their taxes raised by a couple hundred or thousand. I voted for him the first time. I had high hopes for him. Never again.
You are so far off its laughable. If he wants the White House he has to suck up to the Republicans. If he appoints a Dem he will never come close to Washington.
No way. Christie has the power to call for a special election. It will cost the state upwards of $24 million to do so. He will not for finacial reasons and because he can appoint someone till 2014. But you are right, if it comes to a court battle it might go either way.
I will predict that it will be either Tom Kean Sr as a placeholder or Tom Kean Jr to help a run at the next election.