Menendez is front-runner for Corzine Senate seat

[Kire]

Menendez is front-runner for Corzine Senate seat
By STEVE KORNACKI
PoliticsNJ.com

January 10 - Any discussion of how a U.S. Senate vacancy might be filled next year should stipulate the following:

* That Jon Corzine must first win the Democratic gubernatorial primary and the November general election for his Senate seat to open.

* That if he is elected governor, it will be Corzine’s call -- and no one else’s -- who succeeds him in Washington .

That said, there is increasing reason to believe that Robert Menendez, the seven-term congressman from Hudson County and the number three Democrat in the House, would be the choice of a Governor Corzine.

Just don’t expect any announcements anytime soon.

[mcscajun]

1. Wait for the dirt to start flying...

Menendez has some not-so-dead 'skeletons' in his closet.

From an August 20, 2005 article in the NY Times:

"Effort to force embattled New Jersey Gov James McGreevey to leave office in time to schedule special election collapses; aides say he is determined to remain in office until Nov 15 and Democratic leaders say McGreevey's supporters have mounted offensive against those seeking to force him out sooner; news that unnamed administration official warned Rep Robert Menendez to stop criticizing McGreevey because Menendez himself engaged in affair sends chill through party officials who were bracing for new revelations about McGreevey, but fear political standoff would descend into broader personal attacks; Menendez releases statement in support of McGreevey's decision..."

And this article ain't just blowin' smoke...

[Lenape85]

2. Anybody but Andrews, Pascrell, or Rothman

[Kire]

3. Rothman is such a bore.

He was the featured speaker at a dinner outside of his district just before the election last year and it was all about "me, me, me". His life story, his career, how we can use him as an example. The guy next to me and I couldn't do anything but roll our eyes for what felt like an eternity. He even brought his own campaign signs, a good hour and a half from his district.

Andrews seemed okay, though.

I don't know anything about Pascrell.

[Lenape85]

4. They all enabled Bush's genocidal war