Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he wants to hold a special election in October to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Frank Lautenberg’s death on Monday.
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Christie says he intends to appoint someone to fill the seat in the meantime, but he didn’t say who.
The special primary would be Aug. 13, with the special election held Oct. 16.
That schedule would ensure the Republican governor’s own re-election bid remains at the top of the ballot in New Jersey this November.
Democratic Newark Mayor Cory Booker announced months ago that he intended to run for the seat in 2014.
From news accounts:
Adding a special election in Nov could put Mayor Cory A. Booker of Newark at the top of Dem ticket, potentially energizing Democrats,who outnumber Republicans in New Jersey by 700,000 registered voters, to come to the polls…
Christie’s so eager to avoid appearing on the same ballot as Booker, according to Rep insiders, that he is considering two alternatives to a November election for Mr. Lautenberg’s successor. Each carries a potential political cost & could easily be challenged in court.
The option that is being pushed by many in Mr. Christie’s own party would be to name a Republican to hold the seat and then delay an election on a replacement until 2014…would give his nat’l party an unexpected gift: a reliable vote in the Senate…for a year and a half, at least
But it would also open Mr. Christie up to allegations of sidestepping the electoral process …the alternative, lawyers in both parties said, would be for Mr. Christie to set a primary election as early as August, which would special election in October… would also open Mr. Christie to accusations that he was wasting some $24 million in taxpayer money, cost of spec elec, for selfish political gain.