It's possible, but don't expect it to happen
By Wally Edge
If Governor Jon Corzine leaves office early to take a job in Barack Obama's new administration, his most likely successor is Richard Codey. As Senate President, Codey is next in the gubernatorial line of succession -- as he was for 84 hours in 2001 when Donald DiFrancesco left office, and for fourteen months in 2004 and 2005 following James E. McGreevey's resignation.
But if Codey's political foes were able to join together in a special election coup d'état, they could remove him from the Senate Presidency, installing a new person to succeed to the governorship. That means a coalition between the seventeen Republican Senators and any block of four Democrats (read: South Jersey) could deny Codey a third term as Governor.
The last time the Legislature cut a deal like this was after the 1971 general election, when Democrats won control of the State Assembly, but Republicans held the speakership. Four Democrats from Hudson and Union counties joined with Republicans to elect Thomas Kean, then the Assembly Majority Leader, as Speaker.
Contributors
Wally Edge
Chris Christie’s refusal to have his picture taken with Rick Merkt at a Republican event in Summit was probably just the former federal ... >
Bob Torricelli
It's hard to not be concerned these days. We've all witnessed frustration with our institutions before but I never remember anything of this ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
Instead of borrowing trillions to waste on make-work governmental projects, stimulate the economy with tax cuts. >
Debbie Holtz
Score one for the Governor’s public relations team. For the last few weeks, they have been working overtime to fuel speculation Corzine was being ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
With the entrance of Chris Christie into the Republican gubernatorial primary, the GOP has greatly enhanced its chances of capturing the ... >
Rob Tornoe
Joey Novick
Hard to believe we have arrived at the last year of the first decade of the 21st century. Boy, seems like it was just yesterday that Bush was handed ... >
Juan Melli
It's actually come to this: A panel convened by the legislature of the State of New Jersey has concluded that discrimination is not good. Maybe ... >
Carla Katz
As it tends to, history seems to be repeating itself as 240 laid-off workers at Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago revive a decades old tactic -- ... >
Patricia Quattrocchi
Many columnists write a "year in review" or a "predictions" piece for the New Year, however I decided to refrain from going down ... >
Murray Sabrin
Yesterday President-elect Barack Obama outlined his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan in a speech at George Mason University. Obama said we ... >
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Quote of the Day
"I’m here to talk to people not pose for pictures with you." -- Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie to Assemblyman Rick Merkt, his former running mate and now his rival in the race for the Republican nomination for Governor, according to Merkt.
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In the News
Read the expanded Wake Up Call, our summary of today’s news media coverage.
Today’s Must Reads:
Yudin may be waffling on word to GOP boss ― CHARLES STILE
The City Boss Becomes the Country Boss ― DICK BENFIELD...MUST READ
Ferriero's support a curse for Kasparian? ― CHARLES STILE...MUST READ
Trenton must stop thinking outside box― DOUG FORRESTER
Three's a crowd, but one man isn't a party― ALFRED DOBLIN
Newspaper Shuns Web, and Thrives― DAN JACOBSON
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Syndicate
Sweeney or Tom Kean Jr?
The plot thickens!
So we could go from
the slush fund Trenton creature to the double dipper from Norcrossland? Hooray~
Sweeney For Governor Anyway
Codey will be getting no advantage if he is named Governor should Corzine leave .He will be saddled with a horrible budget and he will have to make some very unpopular decisions in a year when the whole Assembly is up for reelection. Sweeney will be Senate President and be able to sit back and watch Codey try to get a budget passed. Sweeney will challenge Codey in a primary and have a unified geographic area in the South plus he will have most of the labor support ( minus the paper tiger CWA who will have to deal with Codey and layoffs anyway)in the State. Codey also has some big time enemies in the North who might just run a candidate to hurt him up there. In a 3 person primary Sweeney wins. Sweeney will have little trouble with Christie. The Republicans are hoping that it is Codey they are running against since there are more issues they can bring up against him. Sweeney for Governor in '09 !