Kean has the votes

Thomas Kean, Jr. has enough votes to oust Leonard Lance as Senate Minority Leader after the November election, according to

Thomas Kean, Jr. has enough votes to oust Leonard Lance as Senate Minority Leader after the November election, according to GOP sources with knowledge of Senate internal politics. Kean has privately announced his candidacy for the leadership post to several of his colleagues, and if the composition of the next Senate remains as expected, the '06 U.S. Senate candidate has the votes to win the contest.

Lance became Minority Leader after the GOP lost control of the Senate in 2003, and was re-elected two years later in a close contest with former Majority Leader Anthony Bucco. Kean, the son of former Governor Thomas Kean, who served as Assembly Speaker and Minority Leader in the 1970's, is the Senate Minority Whip.

Kean has the votes