NJ polls: Christie dominates governor's race

Governor Chris Christie continues to dominate in the polls for New Jersey's 2013 gubernatorial race. Real Clear Politics took six polls -- Quinnipiac, Fairleigh Dickinson, Rasmussen Reports, Richard Stockton College, Monmouth University, Rutgers-Eagleton -- and averaged them to show Christie leading 60 percent to 28 percent against Democratic opponent state Senator Barbara Buono.

Christie, seeking reelection for a second term, is a well-liked Republican governor in a blue state who has been praised for his leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and his willingness to reach out to President Barack Obama in his search for help.

Rubin: 'Maybe Christie got it exactly right in New Jersey'

The Washinton Post's Jennifer Rubin doesn't pull any punches when it comes to tea party criticism of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie:

It is fitting, I suppose, that the right-wing screechers have it so wrong again. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is the most popular politician in the country, but they hate him. They have generally fallen for pols who are anathemas to everyone but them (Rick Santorum, Sharron Angle, Richard Mourdock, Todd Aiken), so it make sense that the Republicans who appeal to a wide cross-section of voters are anathemas to the crowd that seeks refuge in policy positions — be it gay marriage or immigration — rejected by so many Americans.

It just might be that Christie, who is super-popular in a deep-blue state, understands New Jersey and its voters a tad better than talk-show hosts, junior lawmakers from deep-red locales and right-wing bloggers with fewer readers than there are residents of Newark. They are excoriating Christie for setting the U.S. Senate special election for October rather than holding out until November 2014.

Rubin goes on to make the case that a Republican winning the U.S. Senate seat left open by the death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg is a long shot but there are even more reasons for having separate elections, as she lays out in her column.

It is easy to get caught up in the anti-Democrat echo chamber but Rubin hits the nail on the head as she concludes:

It’s a challenge for any elected Republican to screen out the noise from pundits and far-right lawmakers. But Trenton, in a lot of ways, is far from D.C., and Christie is a confident man. Maybe that is why his staff seems indifferent to the fussing of national right-wing pundits. A Republican doesn’t get to a 20- or 30-point lead in New Jersey by being a sap.

Christie appoints NJ Attorney General as temporary replacement for Lautenberg's seat

The Hill reported Thursday that NJ Governor Chris Christie has made his choice for a temporary replacement to the late Senator Frank Lautenberg's seat:

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Thursday appointed state Attorney General Jeff Chiesa (R) to fill deceased Sen. Frank Lautenberg's (D) seat until the upcoming October special election. In his announcement, which came three days following Lautenberg's passing, Christie said he believes Chiesa is "the best person for the job."

Read the entire article here.

Dem Sen. Lautenberg dies at 89 ... will Christie appoint Republican?

Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey died Monday at the age of 89 of viral pneumonia. The oldest member of the Senate, he had served more than 30 years in Congress.

The Hill reports that Governor Chris Christie can appoint a replacement until a special election is held, and some are speculating whether he will appoint a Republican:

According to New Jersey election law, Christie may appoint a replacement to temporarily fill Lautenberg's seat until a special election occurs to elect someone to serve out the remainder of Lautenberg's term.

Christie may set the date of the special election. It's unclear whether he'll choose to schedule it on the same day as the gubernatorial and state legislative elections on Nov. 5.

Setting the special on the same date as the upcoming gubernatorial election could give a boost to a Republican candidate from Christie's coattails, as he's running far ahead of the Democratic candidate for governor and is expected to easily defeat her.

Lautenberg's passing offers the opportunity for Christie to appoint a Republican. Virginia conservative radio host John Fredericks speculated on Facebook Monday afternoon that two names Christie may be considering are Sen. Joe Kyrillos, a longtime friend, or Tom Kean, Sr., a former NJ governor.