Talk Elections

If Chris Christie resigns as Governor of New Jersey to become President of the United States or stays in office, one of these folks will become Governor of New Jersey at some point either in January of 2017 or January 2018.

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State Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R)

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State Senator Jennifer Beck (R)

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Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R)

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State Senator Mike Doherty (R)

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Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan (R)

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Lt. Governor Kim Guadango (R)

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Former U.S. Senator Jeff Chiesa (R)

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Jets Owner Woody Johnson (R)



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Congressman Frank Pallone (D)

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Assemblyman John McKeon (D)

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Mayor Tim Dougherty of Morristown (D)

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Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D)

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Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D)

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Mayor Steven Fulop of Jersey City (D)

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Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo (D)

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Mayor Chris Bollwage of Elizabeth (D)

When he's impeached, it will be Guadagno.

If Christie goes down in time for a special election this November (he would have to resign or be impeached before Labor Day more or less) then I could see Rush Holt going for it.

Fulop is a rising star in NJ I could see him winning a primary between Sweeney and him. I'm confident the next Governor after Guadango runs her course as placeholder will be a Dem.

First off, I don't see Christie getting impeached or removed from office with the so-called phony scandal.

I don't see this investigation going anywhere as Christie's making a political comeback as RGA Chairman, etc.,

Are you slow by any chance? Your grasp of political phenomena seems weak for someone who comments on an elections forum.

It won't be Gaugdano, Democrats seem dead set on taking her down with Christie.

How on freaking earth is it a phony scandal?

As for who the next Governor will be, probably Sweeney after Christie and Guadango are impeached or resign.

Christie probably won't be impeached, but a resignation as governor in order to run for president is a strong possibility, given that New Jersey's pay to play rules limit his fundraising for a presidential run if he's still the sitting governor of the state.

What about Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-Morris). He seems like the safest, conventional choice for a governor. He should have ran for Senate in 2012; could have defeated Menendez; and coud have been a 2016 GOP vice-presidential contender. A safe choice for whoever the GOP nominates in 2016.

I think he is too conservative to run statewide. He is a good fit for Morris County for which he represents though. I looked at his ACU score and it was a perfect 100 for 2012. That's just too conservative.

I think Donovan and Beck would be the front-runners on the R side. Kean Jr. could be a sleeper. On the D side Sweeney and Wisniewski would be the front runners. McKeon and Bollwage are sleepers though. The others I don't think run on either side of the aisle.

On Kean Jr., I think he'll run for statewide office again.

If Republicans win back the White House in 2016 as I expect, Dems have a good shot at the governorship.

I like Donovan and Beck. I like most of the prospective GOP candidates. Kean is the most likely nominee given his name recognition, fundraising ability, and ideology - he's center-right but not too conservative for the state's centrist electorate.

Also, as TX said, there is no Christie scandal, it's a phony scandal based on nothing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD24VE6P2z0

This is right. More dirt turning up against Christie makes it more not less likely he'll be governor next year since it's probably more likely to cause him to abandon a run for president than lead to impeachment or indictment. But with both those as possibilities, Guadagno will probably be the next governor. Of course, she's being investigated herself presumably so who knows?

What about state Senator Joe Kyrillos?