Article

2013-06-03 -Obits-

Breaking: NJ Sen Frank Lautenberg (D- Not Torchy) dead (again?)

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Posted by Frank G 2013-06-03 09:55|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top

#1 Christie gets to appoint his replacement. Now we get to see just how conservative he is

Posted by Frank G 2013-06-03 09:57|| 2013-06-03 09:57|| Front Page Top

#2 @Frank - Not very.

Posted by DarthVader 2013-06-03 10:02|| 2013-06-03 10:02|| Front Page Top

#3 Christie will appoint some horrendous liberal (bruce springsteen?) and then we'll get another slew of articles about how he'll be the prohibitive GOP favorite in 2016...

Posted by M. Murcek 2013-06-03 10:05|| 2013-06-03 10:05|| Front Page Top

#4 I've heard rumors of Newark's Corey Booker.

I have zero faith in Christie.

Posted by Hellfish 2013-06-03 12:11|| 2013-06-03 12:11|| Front Page Top

#5 We will see if Christie is a closet Democrat trying to get out.

Posted by JohnQC 2013-06-03 12:29|| 2013-06-03 12:29|| Front Page Top

#6 Given how Lautenberg regained the seat, does it make any difference who Christie appoints because anyone who is a Trunk will be challenged in the Jersey court system which will find that regardless of the state laws and constitution, the appointment must be a Donk.

Posted by Procopius2k 2013-06-03 12:46|| 2013-06-03 12:46|| Front Page Top

#7 Normally I would be against appointing a squishy Republican chair warmer to this seat, but in this case it works to the Pubs' advantage. It will force the Dems to put time and treasure into retaining what was otherwise a safe seat. That in turn makes other seats harder to hold. It also denies the excreble Harry Reid of a vote he desperately needs to break filibusters. All in all good news for the country, though not for the Lautenberg family.

Christie is certainly trying to be Obama's favorite Republican, but appointing a Donk to this seat would be a step too far even for him. He'd be done as a Republican, and there are still people in the party who talk about him for national office. Why give that up? Switching parties hasn't worked out well for Spectre, Christ and others. Gov. Christie knows that.

Posted by Javiger Platypus3846 2013-06-03 13:24|| 2013-06-03 13:24|| Front Page Top

#8 Mr. Duckbill, you have listed several good points about the bennies of even a RINO, but, you missed the biggest one.

If the 'pubs get a majority THEY then get to name all the committee chairs. That's the big prize given to a party name.

Just think of the kind of investigations could be made of the IRS if they were in both House & Senate.

Posted by AlanC 2013-06-03 13:45|| 2013-06-03 13:45|| Front Page Top

#9 If not in jail yet, Corzine might buy the seat with a rubber check.

Posted by airandee 2013-06-03 14:04|| 2013-06-03 14:04|| Front Page Top

#10 True, but the timing stinks. An appointee only serves for the remainer of the current term, which expires next year. The Donks will almost certainly take back the seat, so it won't directly help Pubs gain a majority.

Your point, though, about the value of a majority is well taken, especially as the excreable Harry Reid would more likely retire in 2016 if he were no longer majority leader...

Posted by Javiger Platypus3846 2013-06-03 14:06|| 2013-06-03 14:06|| Front Page Top

#11 There will be a) interim appointment b) interim election, most likely November 2013 [same time of governor's election; NJ does state offices off-cycle], then c) regular election for a full term in November 2014.

Whoever Christie appoints serves until the interim election, and the person elected will serve a year until the next regular election.

My bet is that Christie appoints a suitable RINO since NJ is thoroughly a blue state.

Posted by Steve White 2013-06-03 14:27|| 2013-06-03 14:27|| Front Page Top

#12 He only needs to put a seat warmer "R" rubber stamp in there - pref someone either very young or at the end of a career, and then run himself in 2014 (appointee serves remainder of term if its less than 2 years is what I recall hearing - or was that another state?)

Posted by OldSpook 2013-06-03 21:21|| 2013-06-03 21:21|| Front Page Top

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