Let's assume it's Corzine for the Dems. Now, who will a bunch of corrupt, left-leaning, establishment, pay-to-play GOP insiders select? A conservative? Ha, not a chance (barring a real Chris Christie groundswell, of which I see no sign). They'll select a RINO like Tommy Kean I or Tommy Kean II, or, perhaps, Bob Franks. Can ya feel the grassroots excitement? Didn't think so.
So, we would be looking at a Corzine vs. Selected RINO race this fall. Corzine, untainted by Trenton slime, would be able to deftly co-opt the outsider mantle, thus stealing the RINO's only issue. Lord knows a Franks or Kean (or Allen, or Whitman) would never run on anything bold like fundamental tax reform. Outcome: Corzine as governor.
Then we are looking at a nightmare scenario in November '06, an incumbent billionaire who's not (that) corrupt, (mostly) backed by the Dem establishment, and rather popular facing the survivor of a multi-candidate GOP primary. The GOP candidate in the general would probably be Bret Schundler since he can deliver a solid 30%-40% conservative base in a primary. But the GOP establishment would cut his b---s off yet again and Corzine would coast to a fresh four year term in 2006.
The only way to get a conservative in there is to let Codey have the job for the next 14 months and hope he gets ambitious enough to want it for 4 more years. This would make Corzine choose between a bloody primary battle, or sitting it out and staying in DC. Then, Schundler could run against a candidate tainted by the Trenton morass and pull out a victory. Let's face it, NJ is a very Democratic state and The Right was dealt a blow with SLAMHOLE's resignation on Thursday 'cause he would've been the easiest Dem. to beat. Now, it's a whole lot tougher and the only way I can see a conservative winning is by using the corruption issue against a Trenton Dem. in 2006.
A Kean-esque GOP liberal could win a special election this year, but how that would advance the ball for the cause of smaller, cleaner government in NJ is beyond me.