CHRISTIE'S PLAN TO REPLACE LAUTENBERG

Chris Christie Calls Special Election To Fill Frank Lautenberg Seat 

 

 

(IT'S NOT THAT I HATE THIS DEMOCRATIC WAY OF THINKING BUT MAYBE CHRISTIE SHOULD TAKE ALL THAT SPECIAL ELECTION'S FUND-$11.9 TO $24 MILLION-TO SAVE DECAYING BRIDGES, AT RISK SCHOOLS, SANDY RELIEF, ETC.

 WE COULD HAVE VOTED ON THAT IDEA TODAY IN THE PRIMARIES...DUH!)

 

 

CNN ONLINE

John Celock 

john.celock@huffingtonpost.com

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced that a October special election will be held to fill the seat of the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg. 

 

Saying that an elected senator is needed quickly, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Tuesday called for a special election in October to fill the seat of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D), who died on Monday.

Christie announced that a special primary election will be held on Aug. 13 with an Oct. 16 general election to fill the seat, ending a debate over conflicting state laws and the possibility that the Senate election would be the same day as the November 2013 election. A nonpartisan analysis puts the cost for the special primary and general election at almost $24 million.

“This is about guaranteeing the people of New Jersey a choice and a voice in Washington," Christie said.

Christie said that politics did not factor into the decision to call the October special election.

 But scheduling the special election for November would have set up the possibility of popular Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D), a potential Democratic Senate candidate, running statewide at the same time that Christie faces presumptive Democratic gubernatorial nominee Barbara Buono (D) for the governorship.

 Christie is leading Buono by 30 points in recent polls, but the presence of the popular Booker on the ballot could have helped Buono and helped Democratic state legislative candidates.
“I will not play politics with this," Christie said, stressing that New Jersey needed an elected senator for the next 18 months.

Christie did not name an interim senator on Tuesday, saying that he is still weighing his options. He said he would allow his appointee to run for election this year if desired. The October election will fill the remainder of Lautenberg's term, which expires in January 2015.

"I will not give you any indication of who is on the list, what their gender is, what their political party is," Christie said.

Christie's decision ends a debate over conflicts in state law that indicates the election could be held in November 2013 or November 2014. The law provides Christie the option of scheduling a special election if he deems it necessary, which he did. Democrats planned litigation in the event that Christie decided to let his appointee serve the remainder of Lautenberg's term.

Christie said that legal considerations did not play a role, saying that he wanted the elected senator in office as soon as possible.

On Monday, the nonpartisan New Jersey Office of Legislative Services authored an opinion that it would cost $11.9 million for the August primary and $11.9 million for the October election. Christie said that the state would cover those costs. Democrats have been critical of the decision to spend close to $24 million for an election when it could be held the same day as the regularly scheduled November election.

A copy of the OLS letter obtained by The Huffington Post ONLINE.

“I don’t care," Christie said when asked about the cost. "You can’t put a price tag on having an elected official in the United States Senate..."