Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

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Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/3/13 at 10:14am

Just confirmed on MSNBC. He was 89 and had been in poor health.

RIP to a devoted public servant, and I shudder to think who Christie will appoint to serve out his term.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/3/13 at 10:20am

It's interesting to see how GOP vs Dem governors handle the process of filling vacancies. In general, Dems tend to appoint 'caretakers', who have no intention to run for the seat. GOP governors tend to appoint someone with long-term plans for the seat, giving them the advantage of incumbency.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/3/13 at 10:22am

With Cory Booker planning to run for Senate next year, though, it won't be a cakewalk to incumbency for anyone Christie could appoint.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/3/13 at 10:23am

And with our gubernatorial election coming up in November, it could be a very interesting year for NJ politics.

When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/3/13 at 10:25am

Agreed. Anyone he appoints would be a substantial underdog to Booker. I wouldn't put it beyond Christie to appoint Booker now, although it would do him irreparable harm to his national aspirations within the GOP.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/3/13 at 10:29am

Exactly, MB. I even fear he would appoint a hard-line republican as a way to prove to the CPAC wing of the party that he's not some northeast moderate.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/3/13 at 7:59pm

Anyone know why the governor gets to appoint someone rather than there just being an election in, say, six weeks? Senator is an elected position, not an appointed one.

Because Christie gets to appoint someone now, though, it seems like this choice will make or break him. If he picks a Democrat, he can say goodbye to national aspirations though he'll likely win reelection. If he chooses Republican, it may very well put his reelection in jeopardy...

Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/3/13 at 10:14pm

I presume that the governor-appointment thing is a leftover from the days when Senators were appointed by state legislatures. I could be totally off the mark, though.

And of course Christie will choose a Republican. The only question is how hard core that Republican will be.

ETA- I'm an idiot; the system comes from the text of the 17th Amendment: "When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct."

Updated On: 6/3/13 at 10:14 PM

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/4/13 at 11:00am

There is some controversy if there will have to be a special election in October of if they can have it the same time as the election in November.

"If he picks a Democrat, he can say goodbye to national aspirations though he'll likely win reelection. If he chooses Republican, it may very well put his reelection in jeopardy..."

Doubtful. Christie somehow remains wildly popular in NJ. He's even getting contributions from big time Democratic donors. No matter who he appoints I think it's safe to say we'll still be calling him Governor next year. Unless something drastic happens between now and November.

#10

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/4/13 at 2:39pm

Christie just had a press conference where he announced he will appoint someone and hold a special election in October. Not having the election in November lets Christie avoid having to share a ballot with Corey Booker.
Not that it matters. Christie would win either way. But holding a special election in October will cost NJ taxpayers an extra 12 million.

Christie says special election to be held in October

Updated On: 6/4/13 at 02:39 PM

#11

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/4/13 at 2:42pm

"And of course Christie will choose a Republican. The only question is how hard core that Republican will be."

Or not...

#12

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/4/13 at 3:09pm

Wow. Didn't see this coming. Can't believe Christie is so scared of Booker bringing out the Dem vote that he's spending $12m of our money to avoid him.

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#13

Sen. Frank Lautenberg has died

Posted: 6/4/13 at 4:41pm

The Senate is only in session 12 days between the October special election date and November.

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