New Jersey political round-up

As all states are coping with the Federal Shutdown, we’ll focus on the issues concerning New Jersey. Republican Governor Chris Christie is likely to keep his seat as he continues to be the frontrunner over Democratic state Senator Barbara Buono when the gubernatorial race is decided in November. But the voters of New Jersey first have to fill the seat left open by U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, who died this summer. The special election October 16^th between Newark Mayor Corey Booker (D) and former Bogata Mayor Steve Lonegan (R), has created a heated ideological debate between the two, but the polling gap between them is getting tighter, considering there hasn’t been a Republican senator from the state in over 40 years. And a New Jersey judge ruled last week the state must allow same-sex couples to marry – the first of its kind since the U.S. Supreme Court decided those couples were protected. Governor Christie, who many consider a possible 2016 presidential candidate, has asked for an appeal of this decision, following his veto of a state legislature vote protecting marriage equality. Our guests are TOM MORAN, Editorial page editor and a political columnist for the Newark Star-Ledger, and BRIGID HARRISON, Professor of Political Science and Law at Montclair State University.