Gov. Chris Christie has called a 1:30 press conference today at the State House.
While the topic of the press conference was not disclosed, a source says the governor will speak about the timeline for the special election to succeed U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who died yesterday.
Exactly when the governor will call for a special election to succeed Lautenberg has been the topic of intense speculation since early yesterday when Lautenberg’s office announced that the Senator had died at the age of 89.
Christie has several options in calling for a special election, however, his decision could very likely be challenged in court. Some Republicans speculated today that the governor would appoint a successor and call for a special election in November of next year, as is outlined in one statute governing the succession. However, Democrats believe that the governor should call for the election in November of this year, putting the Senate seat on the same ballot as the gubernatorial contest.
One option that emerged yesterday was the possibility of an August primary and October special election, which Christie could call for under New Jersey statute 19:27-6. That scenario would put the seat before voters quickly, but according to an opinion by the state Office of Legislative Services, that would cost the state about $12 million.
Should Christie call for a 2014 election or an expedited race, Democrats are likely to challenge the decision as several high profile lawmakers say the law clearly calls for a November 2013 election.
