Now that the deadline for naming lieutenant governor candidates has been extended, both incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine and challenger Chris Christie are taking their sweet time to make their final decisions. The Auditor is told Christie will likely be ready to make an announcement either late this week or next; Corzine is expected to wait a week beyond that.
As the vetting process continues, The Auditor has pieced together the short lists both candidates appear to be working from. Sources involved with the selection deliberations caution there is still time for more names to be added. And those familiar with the Democratic side of the equation say a renewed effort to convince Newark Mayor Cory Booker to join Corzine's ticket occurred last weekend, though it was not sanctioned by the governor and was ultimately unsuccessful.
Corzine's short list includes Sens. Barbara Buono of Middlesex and Loretta Weinberg of Bergen, and one of those "out of the box" contenders: Randal Pinkett, a Rutgers grad and Rhodes Scholar who was the Season 4 winner of the NBC reality show "The Apprentice."
Christie's short list is a bit longer: Sen. Diane Allen of Burlington; Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini of Monmouth; Assemblyman Jon Bramnick of Union; Bergen County Clerk Kathleen Donovan; and Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno.
THE TICKET FOR AMERICA
hopefully Rebecca will get to report his defeat ^_^
