Who else but Chris Christie could pull off an October surprise in June?
When the Governor’s announcement of a Special U.S. Senate election in October prompted knee-jerk angry responses from national Republicans, New Jersey Democrats and New Jersey wingnuts, I figured he must be onto something good.
As my young friend, New Jersey Rising Star Matt Rooney pointed out this morning, there was a better than even risk that the NJ Supreme Court would side with Trenton Democrats and overrule Christie if he appointed a temporary Senator to serve until November of 2014. The NJ Supremes could then overreach their authority and dictate that the special election be held in November of this year.
I once heard an honest Judge congratulate litigants for settling their differences, for keeping their destinies in their own hands, rather than turn their fates over to unpredictable third parties. By choosing the route to fill the late Senator Frank Lautenberg’s seat that he did, Christie limited the possibility that his gubernatorial power would be taken over by the Court.
The conventional punditry seems to assume that whichever Republican Christie chooses to temporally fill the seat until the special election will inevitably lose to Newark Mayor Cory Booker in October. I’m not convinced that is the case.
If Governor Chris Christie appoints someone to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy caused by Senator Frank Lautenberg’s death, there will either be a special election this year for the remainder of the term, or next November, depending on who’s interpretation of seemingly conflicting paragraphs in Title 19.
Christie has the power to appoint a replacement, but is not required to do so. He very likely will.
The Office of Legislative Services has issued an opinion stating that the Governor can appoint a replacement who will serve until November of 2014. The winner of the November 2014 election would serve the remaining two months of the term and a full term to start in January of 2015.
Christie could also call a special general election to fill the remainder of the term, which would be proceeded by a special primary election.
Gov. Christie is not yet running for reelection against state Sen. Barbara Buono (D., Middlesex). He is not officially the Republican party nominee until he defeats his GOP opponent in the June 4 primary election. That opponent is me.
With such a small percentage of voters taking part in primary elections, one vote carries more weight than in November general elections. That’s why primary challenges terrify the insiders who dominate the Democratic and Republican parties with big campaign contributions.
I am running for governor against Christie because I am far more qualified to shrink the size and cost of government, to cut taxes, business, and insurance costs, and to rebuild the New Jersey economy.
Growing up in Atlantic City, I heard stories of how the town thrived during the Depression because people who lost their jobs started new businesses. They never could have been successful if they were burdened with all the regulations and need for lawyers, consultants, permits, and political “access” that are par for the course for starting a business today.
The Asbury Park Press is reporting the White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said that President Obama thinks Governor Chris Christie has done and excellent job rebuilding the Jersey shoreline.
PolitickerNJ reports that the president will meet privately with Christie’s presumed reelection opponent, State Senator Barbara Buono, in Asbury Park’s Convention Hall prior to speaking publically.
Thanksgiving like weather did not keep thousands of people from flocking to the Jersey Shore for the Memorial Day Weekend summer kickoff.
A rapidly slimming Governor Chris Christie braved the cold and dressed for the calendar and cameras. From the looks of the OceanCityPatch photos, there was no lack of warmth for Christie coming from the swarming crowd.
It took 45 minutes for Christie to move from the boardwalk ramp at Eighth Street three doors down to Manco & Manco Pizza through a mosh pit of well-wishers hoping to shake hands or rub elbows with the rising Republican star. Even outside the swarm of onlookers around Eighth Street, the boardwalk was jammed with visitors on the sunny but brisk first day of the holiday weekend.
Christie crept along to the popular pizza store to greet co-owner Chuck Bangle and a host of Ocean City officials and community leaders in a staged photo-op.
Christie’s visit included no speech to the public and no comment on issues related to the storm — just an opportunity for the governor to meet and greet shore residents and visitors.
As a crowd waited for the governor’s arrival, his staff announced that Christie would walk from Eighth Street past Gillian’s Wonderland Pier to Sixth Street. But after about an hour and a half, Christie had not made it to Seventh Street.
You may’ve missed this the other day, Save Jerseyans, but some WNYC reporter asked Chris Christie at his Lavallette presser whether NJ Transit had been under-prepared for climate change ahead of Superstorm Sandy. Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently the reporter had never ridden NJ Transit before or she’d know that its problems predate the global warming fad!
Well, first of all, I don’t agree with the premise of your question because I don’t think there’s been any proof thus far that Sandy was caused by climate change,” Christie said, as residents and officials from Lavallette clapped. “But I would absolutely expect that that’s exactly what WNYC would say, because you know liberal public radio always has an agenda. And so since I disagree with the premise of your question I don’t feel like I have to answer the rest of it.” (You can hear the full audio at the bottom of this post.)”
Who else but Chris Christie could pull off an October surprise in June?
