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Senator's death puts Christie in a bind

POSTED BY: NEWOLDBROWNCOAT
UPDATED: Wednesday, June 5, 2013 02:07
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Monday, June 3, 2013 3:29 PM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/03/politics/lautenberg-christie/index.html?
hpt=hp_t1



Lautenberg leaves tricky political question for Christie



By Paul Steinhauser, Peter Hamby and Robert Yoon, CNN
updated 8:07 PM EDT, Mon June 3, 2013

Damn, I wish I could put this in a concise quote, but I can't

Frank Lautenberg, the Democratic Senator from NJ, Died. Gov. Chris Christie, A Republican, gets to set the date of the special election for his successor, and name a temporary replacement.

Does he name a Democrat, preserving the balance in the Senate, and reflecting what the people of NJ voted for, but further pissing off his Repub partymates, who are already pissed off at him for liking Obama?

Or does he name a Repub, ignoring what the voters chose, and pissing off the Demos, (and the voters?) change the balance in the Senate, make his Repub buddies happy, and lead to Obama's impeachment?

He can also, it seems, hold the special election this year, or wait till Nov. 2014. There seem to be conflicting laws on the books in NJ. There's also a general election this year. So he can appoint a temp for 6 months , or a temp for 18. And whatever it does, there is gonna be one party of pissed-off voters. Does he want 'em this year, or next?

Oughtta be interesting to watch.


And whatever he does, will it set a precedent for next time? If he appoints a Repub, and some other Repub dies in a Demo state with a Demo governor, CAN that governor say, "Remember what Christie did," and then appoint a Democrat?

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Monday, June 3, 2013 3:41 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Gov Christie will do what's best for Gov Christie. That's my guess.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

Resident USA Freedom Fundie

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Tuesday, June 4, 2013 5:56 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


Quote:

Oughtta be interesting to watch.


I agree. And Christie has my sympathy, that's truly "rock and a hard place" territory!


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Tuesday, June 4, 2013 10:36 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Just saw this over on CNN.com

Christie set a special election, primary in August and general in October.
I do wonder, he could have put it on the ballot for this Nov, instead of making it separate. A commentator I saw the other day suggested that Christie is up for re-election in Nov, and a Repub candidate could have ridden on his coattails. But here he's totally rejected that.

Ver-r-r-y interesting. Watch this space.

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Tuesday, June 4, 2013 10:37 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


OOPS! Double post, but not quite. I intended to add one word, for emphasis.

Just saw this over on CNN.com

Christie set a special election, primary in August and general in October.
I do wonder, he could have put it on the ballot for this Nov, instead of making it separate. A commentator I saw the other day suggested that Christie is up for re-election in Nov, and that a Repub candidate could have ridden on his coattails. But here he's totally rejected that.

Ver-r-r-y interesting. Watch this space.

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Wednesday, June 5, 2013 2:07 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


Dems don't like it, Repubs don't like it.


http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/04/politics/christie-special-election/index
.html?hpt=hp_t2


Quote:



New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie opted for a special election to fill a newly vacant Senate seat through 2014 instead of appointing a replacement through that time, saying the decision was about giving voters "a choice and a voice in the process" and was not driven by political self-interest.


While the Republican's decision for a special October ballot could help him avoid stronger Democratic turnout in his re-election bid a month later, it also opens him up to criticism from his own party that is on the short end of the balance of power in the Senate.


Democrats immediately slammed the move, asserting that Christie is wasting taxpayer money to protect his ambitions. National Republicans weren't critical but they didn't praise the governor, either.

"Governor Christie might not know or care how many millions of taxpayer dollars his special election gambit will waste, but the people of New Jersey certainly do. Christie should do the right thing, protect New Jersey taxpayer dollars instead of his own political career, and hold the Senate election on the same day as his own," Democratic Governors Association Executive Director Colm O'Comartun, said in a statement.



http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/04/christie-accused-of-de
bilitating-stupidity-after-election-decision/?hpt=hp_t2

Quote:


Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead," Armey accused the governor of trying to curry favor with Democrats by not appointing a Republican to the seat until 2014. He'll name an interim senator by next week to serve until the special election.


"All Christie has to do is appoint a Republican. That's the correct move for him to make," Armey said.
"Now, I put it down as debilitating stupidity. The first rule of politics is 'Don't lose the friends you already have for the friends you're never going to get.' And if he thinks the Democrats are going to love him for being the guy who plays fair rather than takes the political opportunity he's crazy."

A Democratic governor would have "seized the opportunity" and appointed a senator from his own party, Armey argued Tuesday.

"People that run for office in politics make political decisions rather than policy decisions often commit debilitating stupidity," Armey said. "Most often it's done by the left, but frequently done by Republicans as well."

Until last year, Armey served as the chairman of the conservative, tea party-aligned group FreedomWorks.



More at those links.

" the guy who plays fair rather than takes the political opportunity ," Armey says. Tells me all I need to know about Dick Armey.


"People that run for office in politics make political decisions rather than policy decisions often commit debilitating stupidity," Armey says.

Seems to me he's got it backward. Appointing a Republican would be a political choice. Scheduling the election quickly sounds like a policy of letting the voters decide. It may be personally convenient to schedule it separate from his own re-election-- maybe NJ could use a temp for one more month rather than spend $12 million on a special election but giving it to the voters is the correct choice.

Next question-- who does he name as the temporary? Stay tuned...

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