Cory Booker reportedly leaning toward Senate run

[technical support]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/cory-booker-reportedly-leaning-toward-senate-run-151827549--election.html

Political junkies salivating over a potential showdown between New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Cory Booker in New Jersey's gubernatorial race next year might not get their wish.
Booker, the rising-star Democratic mayor of Newark, N.J., is leaning toward running for U.S. Senate in 2014 instead, sources tell the Wall Street Journal.
Booker's office did not respond to a request for comment from Yahoo News, but the Journal reports the mayor is eyeing the seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who, at 88, is widely expected to retire.

[Maxwell]

Good, that would be much better place for him, considering Christie is pretty safe.

Looks like its just Barbara Buono.

[krazen1211]

He's repeating the Andrews mistake.

[Zioneer]

Gotta say, I like the idea of Senator Booker a lot more than I do Governor Booker.

[Blue3]

Didn't we just have this thread?

Lautenberg is not going to retire, he wants to die in office. He already retired from the Senate, and cam back. He's also the last WWII veteran in the Senate (there are 2 in the House).

[RogueBeaver]

So he can primary Lautenberg.

[krazen1211]

Gotta say, I like the idea of Senator Booker a lot more than I do Governor Booker.

Well, the problem is that Pascrell,  Payne, Holt, Sires, and Pallone have been sniffing out that senate seat like a pack of starving dogs. So, they will back Lautenberg and wait for him to die off so they can pounce rather than let Booker claim that seat for decades.

Of course now the problem is that he might die off while Christie can appoint a Republican successor.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Of course now the problem is that he might die off while Christie can appoint a Republican successor.

Surprised you think that a problem, but would Christie be able to appoint a Republican?  Not all states allow for a gubernatorial appointment and of those that do, they often put limits on the power.  For instance, even if there were a Republican governor in Hawaii right now, ey would have no choice but to appoint a Democrat (from among the three candidates put forth by the state party).

[krazen1211]

Of course now the problem is that he might die off while Christie can appoint a Republican successor.

Surprised you think that a problem, but would Christie be able to appoint a Republican?  Not all states allow for a gubernatorial appointment and of those that do, they often put limits on the power.  For instance, even if there were a Republican governor in Hawaii right now, ey would have no choice but to appoint a Democrat (from among the three candidates put forth by the state party).

The power is unlimited; NJ has a strong executive. Hence they tried to flip the law in the lameduck 2009 session.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/voices/index.ssf/2010/02/visiting_editorial_revisit_sen.html

Lost in all the rhetoric, though, was that the current procedure gives a governor too much discretion over how to deal with these vacancies. He or she can call a special election, appoint a temporary senator, or leave the seat vacant until the next general election which could be almost a year.




I would think that 2013 or 2015 would count as a 'November' and thus give the Republican a slight chance of not losing.

[Abolish ICE]

Gotta say, I like the idea of Senator Booker a lot more than I do Governor Booker.

Well, the problem is that Pascrell,  Payne, Holt, Sires, and Pallone have been sniffing out that senate seat like a pack of starving dogs. So, they will back Lautenberg and wait for him to die off so they can pounce rather than let Booker claim that seat for decades.

Of course now the problem is that he might die off while Christie can appoint a Republican successor.

Even if he did, the Republican bench in New Jersey that can beat Booker (or probably even Holt or Pallone) starts and ends with Chris Christie and Governors appointing themselves to a Senate seat tends to backfire.  Additionally, I suspect Andrews was hurt by the fact that he was a South New Jersey politician (just look at the county map in the primary) and that there was a North vs. South thing going on there.  Booker wouldn't have that problem and is just a far stronger all-around candidate than Andrews.  Andrews' base was Camden (as opposed to Newark) and he had some sort of scandal during the campaign IIRC (whereas Booker is pretty clean even by non-New Jersey standards).  On a different note, I agree that Pallone has been looking for a promotion for a while.  However, I did not know that Holt, Sires, or Pascrell were thought to be positioning themselves for the seat.  Holt doesn't seem to be tight enough with any of the party bosses, has a smaller geographic base, and his name didn't come up the way Menendez, Pallone, and Andrews' did when Corzine was elected Governor (does he even want it that much?).  Sires' biggest problem might be simply that the Hudson County machine already has a Senator, plus I imagine there are a number of folks ahead of him in line.  Pascrell might have burned some bridges with the Bergen machine by running against Rothman (that seemed like a pretty bitter contest despite the margin) and I didn't see his name mentioned in 2006 at all (even Holt at least got occasional mentions).  I'm sure any of the three would accept an appointment, but I don't know that they are gunning for Lautenberg's seat the way Booker, Pallone, or even Andrews might be.

[krazen1211]

Even if he did, the Republican bench in New Jersey that can beat Booker (or probably even Holt or Pallone) starts and ends with Chris Christie and Governors appointing themselves to a Senate seat tends to backfire.  Additionally, I suspect Andrews was hurt by the fact that he was a South New Jersey politician (just look at the county map in the primary) and that there was a North vs. South thing going on there.  Booker wouldn't have that problem and is just a far stronger all-around candidate than Andrews.  Andrews' base was Camden (as opposed to Newark) and he had some sort of scandal during the campaign IIRC (whereas Booker is pretty clean even by non-New Jersey standards).  On a different note, I agree that Pallone has been looking for a promotion for a while.  However, I did not know that Holt, Sires, or Pascrell were thought to be positioning themselves for the seat.  Holt doesn't seem to be tight enough with any of the party bosses, has a smaller geographic base, and his name didn't come up the way Menendez, Pallone, and Andrews' did when Corzine was elected Governor (does he even want it that much?).  Sires' biggest problem might be simply that the Hudson County machine already has a Senator, plus I imagine there are a number of folks ahead of him in line.  Pascrell might have burned some bridges with the Bergen machine by running against Rothman (that seemed like a pretty bitter contest despite the margin) and I didn't see his name mentioned in 2006 at all (even Holt at least got occasional mentions).  I'm sure any of the three would accept an appointment, but I don't know that they are gunning for Lautenberg's seat the way Booker, Pallone, or even Andrews might be.

You are correct in noting the regional and primary lines in the 2008 primary. Holt and Pascrell have made noises about statewide office, but certainly each is aware of his weakness in such a campaign. I would guess that in a wide open 2014 primary each would make some noise before dropping out.

Still, though, when Andrews went after Lautenberg in the 2008 primary the other 6 Congressmen immediately rallied against him. Booker should expect the same headwind.

[justfollowingtheelections]

I think if Booker runs he wins easily.  The Democrats would like to have an African-American in the Senate, especially now that the only AA Senator is a Republican.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

A few days ago there were 3 Senators born in 1924. The 2 Senator Daniels of Hawaii born in early September 1924 are either gone or soon to be leaving the Senate. Lugar was just the 4th oldest Senator, born 1932 and he's leaving too. If Lautenberg isn't relected, in 2015 the oldest Senator will probably be Feinstein, born in 1933.

[Keystone Phil]

Word is that Booker will announce via Twitter today that he is running for the Senate.

[RogueBeaver]

He's in.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/12/20/cory-booker-will-explore-run-for-senate-wont-run-for-governor/

[Sic Semper Fascistis]

Smart decision, he had no chance as Governor. I hope Lautenberg has the sense to retire.

[Gass3268]

Smart decision, he had no chance as Governor. I hope Lautenberg has the sense to retire.

[Cryptic]

The Senate is both the smarter and safer path for him. 

[RogueBeaver]

According to Buzzfeed apparently the WH helped persuade him to run for Senate instead of Guv. Couple that with Reid's lavish praise immediately after Booker announced and I get the sense Lautenberg's retiring after all.

[RogueBeaver]

This is excellent news.

[Simfan34]

So Lautenberg is basically going to thrown under the bus if he doesn't retire? Ouch. Looking at the fact that the polls have him loosing 3-1 to Booker, his fate is fixed.

Booker's got my vote.

[RogueBeaver]

Bus or no bus Booker still leads him by over 30 points per PPP.

[Vosem]

This is awful news. Lautenberg is the Senate's last Great Patriotic War veteran, and it doesn't seem like we'll be getting new ones. Fight back, Senator!

[Ogre Mage]

Good move by Booker. 

I suspect the sudden death of the 88 year-old Inouye was a sharp reminder to Senate Democrats of the uncertainty surrounding the 88 year-old Lautenberg.  And unlike Hawaii where there is a Democratic Governor and a law which requires that the appointed senator come from the same party, there is no such safety net in NJ.  Best that Booker begin building his campaign infrastructure now in case worse comes to worse. 

[politicallefty]

Good move by Booker. 

I suspect the sudden death of the 88 year-old Inouye was a sharp reminder to Senate Democrats of the uncertainty surrounding the 88 year-old Lautenberg.  And unlike Hawaii where there is a Democratic Governor and a law which requires that the appointed senator come from the same party, there is no such safety net in NJ.  Best that Booker begin building his campaign infrastructure now in case worse comes to worse.

That's a good point and I can't say I'm comfortable with that prospect. Hopefully, Lautenberg will retire. Booker would be an overwhelming favorite over whoever the GOP puts up. It's much better that he runs for Senate instead of an underdog run for Governor.