Corzine may name black woman to Senate seat

By AP from the NJ Home News Tribune on Line, December 1, 2005

WASHINGTON — Two days after being elected New Jersey's governor, Democrat Jon Corzine speculated out loud that he might appoint a woman to fill his unexpired Senate term.  Then he singled out state Sen. Nia Gill, D-Essex, calling the black politician an "extraordinarily capable woman."

Gill did not shy away from the hint.

"I have the qualifications," she told The Associated Press on Tuesday.  "If I am chosen by Jon, I am more than qualified to rise to the occasion."

If chosen by Corzine, Gill would become only the sixth black person and second black woman to serve in the Senate.  New Jersey has never had a female or minority U.S. senator.

Political analysts say by choosing Gill, Corzine would be seen as rewarding a faithful base that turned out for him on Election Day — and sending a signal about his higher political aspirations.

Corzine, 58, said on Thanksgiving that he planned to choose his successor the week of Dec. 4, which is Sunday.  Besides Gill, six of New Jersey's seven Democratic congressmen have expressed their interest in the job.  Two of the congressmen — U.S. Rep. Robert Menendez, D-13th dist., and U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, D-10th dist. — are minorities.

New Jersey state law gives the governor the power to fill U.S. Senate and House vacancies.  Corzine's term expires in 2006, and Republicans have a strong challenger in state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., the son of popular former Gov. Thomas Kean.

University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato said choosing a minority to serve out his term may be a wiser choice than picking a congressman.

"The congressmen represent tiny pieces of New Jersey, and each one has a voting record that can be taken apart," he said.  "Some have personal problems that could emerge in the campaign."

According to a poll done by The Associated Press and its polling partner, Ipsos, Corzine won nearly all the black votes cast in New Jersey's gubernatorial race, and two-thirds of the Latino vote.  He also had a 20-point edge among female voters.

Gill, 57, an attorney, is a second-term state senator.  She served four terms in the state Assembly.  She would not reveal whether she and Corzine had talked about the Senate seat, saying any such conversations are private.

She faces stiff competition for the Senate appointment.  Three congressmen — Menendez, Reps. Robert Andrews, D-1st Dist., and Frank Pallone, D-6th Dist., — campaigned hard for Corzine and have significant war chests.  And they have better name recognition than Gill, whose district is a small sliver of Essex and Passaic counties.