Opinion

Christie’s senate-seat fix: no Dem would do likewise

The Issue: Gov. Chris Christie’s decision to schedule an October election to fill Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s seat.

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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s abdication of his responsibility to select a new senator through 2014 may keep the country in the dark about who NJ’s next senator will be for a few months, but we can already tell you who the 2016 Republican presidential candidate won’t be (The Race for Jersey,” Editorial, June 10).

The country is tiring of political acts lacking leadership.

Steve Gidumal

Orlando, Fla.

With his decision to hold a special election less than three weeks before the general election, Christie has displayed a wanton disregard for the taxpayers of New Jersey.

William Holzmann

Paramus, NJ

Kudos to New Jersey’s Republican governor for taking the high road in allowing the people of his state to freely choose the next senator to fill the open position.

Sadly, if there were a Democratic governor in the Trenton statehouse, a Democrat would’ve been appointed to keep the Democratic stranglehold in the US Senate assured, faster than you could say “Lautenberg.”

Robert Lobenstein

Brooklyn

Christie’s decision to not appoint a Republican to complete Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s term may reflect his attempt at fairness but also shows the difference between Christie and any Democrat serving as governor.

There is no doubt that a Democrat would have appointed another Democrat to complete the term through 2014. This makes Christie appear fair but terribly naive.

Had he appointed a Republican who came in, performed well, then ran on his own, that person may have preserved an important Northeast senatorial seat.

Now that vote is put unnecessarily to risk.

Sometimes it pays to do unto others what they would certainly do to you, and to hell with appearances.

Richard Klitzberg

Boca Raton, Fla.