Posted by Sir Four at 10:46pm Jun 7 '13Senator Frank Lautenberg, long-time public servant of New Jersey, died this week at age 89. He was the last WWII veteran in the US Senate, and a reliable liberal voice. Prior to his recent decline in health, he remained an active and vocal supporter of progressive causes. The cause he most recently championed was for tighter regulation of untested chemicals in consumer products.
As governor, it fell upon Chris Christie to decide how to replace Lautenberg. He appointed NJ attorney general Jeffrey Chiesa, who vowed to be a temporary fill-in. That's not the problem. The problem is that Christie is scheduling a special election for the voters to choose a permanent replacement for Lautenberg less than a month before the November election already set to take place. So in other words: NJ will have TWO state-wide elections less than a month apart rather than rolling them into the same election. This will cost NJ millions of additional dollars. Why would Christie do this? There is only one reason: he doesn't want his spotlight to be stepped on in November.
Polls show Christie will win reelection this November by upwards of 30 points. But if there were a simultaneous election to replace a Democratic senator, the added Dem turnout could reduce his margin to under 20%. And what's more, the senate race will appear first on the ballot, before governor. Newark mayor Cory Booker is widely expected to run for and win Lautenberg's seat; Christie would have to share the limelight and the fanfare with Booker. But he wants it to himself. So he chose to put himself ahead of the interests of NJ taxpayers.