June 4th, 2013
01:50 PM ET
10 years ago
Christie opts for special election, says voters should decide
(CNN) - 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.
It may cost more to do it this way but it is most definitely the right thing to do as far as Christie's future is concerned.
The last thing I expected was for Chris Christie to do the right thing and get a new elected representative in there as soon as he could instead of playing games and delaying things as long as he could while someone he appointed filled the position. Hats off to the Gov. This man is earning my respect.
Smart. Make it sooner rather than later and then appoint a very short-term Teatroll to appease the base...but, it'll be only for a couple months so he can say it's not a big deal.
Very smart move!
That is the right choice – let the voters decide, not the Governor.
Even though Christie is a moderate Republican, he is still a Republican, meaning he represents around 18% of the people. With a Special Election, the other 72% of New Jersey folks get to vote in a better Senator than any Republican would appoint.
So, Chris
tie has a chance to appoint a consrvative senator in Jersey and throws it away to spend time, state money and everything on two more elections. Really starting to wonder about htis guy.
Good Guy Christie.
Has a chance to install a political cronie in the Senate for 18 months. Chooses to let the people vote.
Smart move – but the teabuggers will be blubbering.
Good decision by Gov. Christie in not taking the Blagojevich approach here. He has my respect.
So much for Christie being concerned with saving money when it might hurt him politically. Millions of dollars for a special election 3 weeks before the scheduled regular election. He just doesn't want Corey Booker to appear on the same ballot with him.
A true conservative. Save money? No. Spend it? Yep. As long as it serves his political aspirations. That's all that matters. Only save money when the people getting cut are poor and powerless.
He'll appoint a Republican which will energize the Demo's, particulary if the man/woman he appoints is running for the seat. Bears watching.
Christie is confounding everyone, especially on the Republican side, with his actions here - and despite my misgivings about aspects of his style of governing, I have to say that he's impressing me.
As a Democrat, I must admit I have NEVER seen a Republican I liked as much as Christie.
He is most certainly a huge threat to whatever we put up as Democrats in 2016.
It wouldn't be beyond reason to suspect that Christie's apparent "falling out" with the Republican leadership was a well-planned political maneuver eithet; in the same period that the Republican party is self-admittedly "closed for repairs" they run a pre-presidential election campaign against their own failed party with a couple well-timed photo ops and measly gubernatorial acts.
I've leaned not to underestimate the Republican strategists.
*dons tinfoil hat*
What a joke!! What is the purpose of holding the special election so close the the real election? Waste of Money.
Will Booker bite?
Christie did the right thing here. Let the people vote as quickly as possible.
Looks like Christie would hold the election tomorrow if he could...This is a no-win situation for him.
Wasting state money to play politics. Why not Nov. during the general election.
A smart move for a Republican!
A definite CHESS PLAYER............
This is a great opportunity to show the naive in America that the political process does not has to be political and biased. Good job Governor Christie
Enough with Chris Christy. You'd think no other state had a governor the way we hear from this guy every other day.
(I meant Christie)
Good that he's putting it to a vote. Even better would be to appoint a Democrat in the interim, given that's what Lautenberg was elected as.