New Jersey residents are mourning the loss of their longtime senator Frank Lautenberg, who has died at the age of 89.
While it may seem crass to weigh the immediate political impact of his passing, the speculation has already begun about who Republican governor Chris Christie will select to serve out the rest of his term and what this event will mean for the likely candidacy of Newark mayor Cory Booker.
Booker sparked rumors of a planned 2014 run last winter and eventually filed papers to formally enter the campaign this January. This move provoked a harsh public rebuke from both the sitting senator’s office and the veteran lawmaker himself.
In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Lautenberg compared Booker to a disobedient child.
“I have four children, I love each one of them. I can’t tell (you) that one of them wasn’t occasionally disrespectful, so I gave them a spanking and everything was OK,” Lautenberg said.
Other supporters of Lautenberg chimed in calling the timing of Booker’s announcements “disrespectful” and “self-absorbed.”
“It’s shameful that he avoided challenging a Republican just so that he can take on a long-serving, loyal Democrat,” an unidentified Lautenberg aide told Politico.
For his part, Booker was careful to say he would seek Lautenberg’s “blessing” and he urged his fellow Democrats to continue to support him for the time being.
Numerous polls showed that N.J. voters preferred Booker to Lautenberg, by as much as a 2-to-1 margin. Eventually Lautenberg bowed to the pressure and announced that he would not seek another term, paving the way for Booker.
Today Booker made this statement with respect to the late senator:
“Today, the American people lost a true champion. For three decades, Senator Frank Lautenberg worked to make America a stronger, healthier and safer place to live. His legacy will endure for generations.
“Senator Lautenberg was a model of leadership and service to me since before I even considered entering elected office. He was a passionate advocate for New Jersey and a crucial and tireless partner who always delivered for the people of Newark. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Lautenberg family.”
Now, with Lautenberg’s unexpected passing, the Republicans can seize upon an opportunity to put a viable 2014 candidate in his place while growing their numbers in the Senate. Governor Christie is widely expected to appoint someone from his own party to represent N.J.
The Christie appointment will receive an unprecedented amount of national attention, not so much because it will significantly alter the balance of the U.S. Senate (the Democrats currently hold a 55-seat majority), but for what the nature of his selection will say about his own future political aspirations.
Should he pick a moderate or even a liberal placeholder, Christie could further alienate conservative Republicans. On the other hand, should he select a right winger he could upset New Jersey voters who by and large lean left and vote blue.
Since Christie’s choice will most likely face off against Booker in the general election it will also speak volumes about the state of his so-far chummy public relationship with the Newark mayor. The two popular politicians have walked a delicate balance to date, avoiding any major conflicts during the Republican’s tenure in the statehouse.
But with Christie handpicking his 2014 opponent, he can no longer pretend he doesn’t have a stake in who represents N.J. in the U.S. after 2014.
Still, at this point, in heavily Democratic state like New Jersey, Cory Booker remains the favorite to head to Washington next November.