May as well.
Posted on 11/23/2005 12:33:54 PM PST by LdSentinal
(AP) HILLSIDE Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey announced Wednesday he is not interested in filling the remainder of Gov.-elect Jon Corzine's U.S. Senate term.
Codey has hinted that he wasn't interested in going to Washington, though he's enjoyed widespread popularity since replacing Gov. James E. McGreevey, who resigned after a gay sex scandal a year ago.
By law, Corzine must vacate his Senate seat when he becomes governor in January. The person Corzine appoints will serve in the U.S. Senate for a year, until a regular election for the six-year term is held in November 2006.
Codey, 58, made his announcement Wednesday during a visit to a food bank in Hillside.
He said becoming a U.S. senator would disrupt life for both him and his wife Mary Jo.
Codey was the apparent favorite among voters to fill Corzine's term, a decision Corzine will be able to make himself as incoming governor.
A Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday showed 43 percent of voters thought Codey was the right man for the job. The runner-up was U.S. Rep. Robert Menendez at 14 percent.
The independent telephone poll of 1,111 registered voters was taken Nov. 16-20 and has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The poll also indicated Codey would likely be elected should he seek a full U.S. Senate term in the 2006 election. Codey would defeat Tom Kean Jr., the Republican state senator who has declared his candidacy, 55 percent to 32 percent, according to the poll.
Menendez, along with U.S. Reps. Rob Andrews and Frank Pallone, have all publicly lobbied for the seat. Menendez and Andrews have indicated that they will run in 2006, even if Corzine chooses someone else to fill the remainder of his term.
Corzine has not said publicly when he will announce his selection, or who is on his list of potential choices. Corzine has said he wants someone who can win in 2006.
"...Gov. James E. McGreevey, who resigned after a gay sex scandal a year ago."
He didn't resign after a gay sex scandal; Dims don't resign for such things (remember Barney Frank). He had to resign because of the numerous corruption charges against him.
May as well.
Does Jr have a chance at picking this seat up for the GOP? I know, he's said to be a RINO, but a RINO will vote the right way more often than a Democrat, unless the Democrat is Ben Nelson of Nebraska.
.....the "Torch" must be going out of his mind right about now..
Doogle
I know absolutely nothing about Codey, but at least on its face it's refreshing to see a politician who's not a slave to fame, prestige and power.
Am I missing something? Is there some venal explanation?
He doesn't want to go to Washington DC, a place actually worse than New Jersey?
I think that is debatable. You've never been to Camden. Parts of it make Anacostia look like Beverly Hills.
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