Inspired by tie-breaker Philip Karchman, Democrats and Republicans are close to finalizing an agreement plan in which two pairs of incumbents will participate in possible Democratic primaries and give Republicans a path, albeit a difficult one, to a majority in the legislature, the New Jersey Globe. learned.
This could put the final map to a vote as early as Friday, as long as the current framework remains in place and the agreement falls apart.
Karhman pushed both sides tonight for a compromise that would allow the two sides to more quickly control their fate, believing he is ready to take a machete on both cards if they fail to reach a bilateral agreement. Democrats and Republicans are still meeting tonight at their hotel in Plainsboro.
The agreement will not include former state senator Thomas Keane Jr., who will vote against.
“There should have been more time to negotiate a fairer map,” Keane said.
According to the structure of the map, which is currently in the process of completion, Richard Cody (D-Rosland) and Nia Gil (D-Moncler) will work in the same area, as will Nicholas Sacco (North Bergen) and Brian Stack (D-Union City) ).
This will create two new Senate seats in Essex and Goodson, possibly for two members of the State Assembly, Britney Timberlake (D-East Orange) and Raja Mukherjee (D-Jersey City).
A new map would be good news for South Jersey Republicans. The 2nd constituency raises Galloway, and the 8th becomes more Republican. But West Deptford, the hometown of former Senate President Steve Sweeney, remains in District 3.
If State Senator Edward Dur (R-Swede), Vincent Polistina (R-Egg-Harbor) and Michael Testa Jr. (R-Vineland) can be re-elected – there is nothing in the new map under consideration now that could necessarily block that is, Republicans will retain their current bloc of sixteen seats in the Senate.
Under the right circumstances – a difficult medium-term period in New Jersey in 2023 for Gov. Phil Murphy and President Joe Biden – there are five more places that could be in play.
The 4th constituency, where Senator Fred Madden (Washington) was re-elected last year with 54% of the vote, is becoming more competitive and will give Republicans a chance to roll over the constituency next year.
The 11th constituency, located in Manmouth, currently represented by Democratic Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch) and Republican MPs Marilyn Piperna (R-Colts Neck) and Kim Yulner (R-Shrewsbury), remains very competitive by 2023, although the new plan is slightly better for Democrats than for Republicans.
The commission looked back and forth on the final boundaries of the 16th district, which is expected to become slightly more competitive next year than last year. This is the county where Democrat Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick) got an open seat in the Senate after the retirement of Republican Christopher Bateman (R-Branchburg).
Republicans can compete in Bergen’s 38th constituency, which is becoming only half a percent democratic, and the 14th constituency, which includes parts of Mercer and Middlesex counties.
Maps appeared last week, including proposals to put state senators Troy Singleton (D-Delran) and Gene Stanfield (R-Wesmpton), Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsbora) and Zwicker, as well as Robert Smith (D-Piscateway) and Patrick Dignan (D-South Plainfield) in the same areas are now abandoned. So are the cards that would remove from the 26th number two Republican members, Jay Weber (R-Morris Plains) and Christian Baranka (R-Jefferson).
The Democratic proposal also rejected a plan to divide Jersey City into three counties.
