When New Jersey Gov. James Mc-Greevey decided to remain in office until Nov. 15 after admitting to a homosexual affair with a former employee, members of the state Democratic Party thought they could at least hold onto the governorship.
But some critics claim McGreevey's choice to remain in office past the Sept. 2 deadline for an election — allowing state senator and fellow Democrat Richard Codey to assume the remaining 14 months of McGreevey's term — leaves the Democrats vulnerable.
Rep. Scott Garrett, a New Jersey Republican, issued a statement, saying, "Jim McGreevey made a decision to resign the governorship . . . but he has put off the resignation for political reasons. If McGreevey feels that a resignation is appropriate, he should resign immediately so that the state of New Jersey can move forward."
McGreevey spokesman Micah Rasmussen defended the governor's decision in an interview. He said McGreevey's choice to remain in office past the election deadline was not politically motivated. The decision "was in the best interest of the state," he said. "Politics is the last thing on our minds."
Politics professor Robert George, however, disagreed and said the decision might leave the New Jersey Democrats in a political bind. The "odor of scandal leaves the Democratic Party in a vulnerable position, and opens opportunities for the Republicans," he said.
Codey will have to "play his cards shrewdly," George wrote in an email, to save a party that is showing signs of weakness.
This past summer, New Jersey Democrats were challenged by charges of corruption surrounding the governor. One McGreevey fund-raiser was charged with trying to extort $40,000 from a dairy farmer in exchange for favorable treatment of state officials, while another campaign donor was accused of hiring prostitutes in an effort to blackmail jurors in a trial he faced regarding fund-raising.
In addition, 48 percent of New Jersey voters think McGreevey should resign immediately rather than wait until Nov. 15, as compared to 42 percent who think he should wait, according to a recent Fairleigh Dickenson Public Mind poll.
While it is unclear how much McGreevey's decision will affect the Democratic Party as a whole in a state where its U.S. senators and seven of its 13 representatives are Democrats.
Evan Baehr, president of the College Republicans, thinks it will open the door for Republicans.
"McGreevey's decision to delay his resignation reeks of politics," he said. "Republicans have a great opportunity to get New Jersey back on track . . . many Democrats will be voting Republican for the first time after what McGreevey gave them."
College Democrats Vice President Jefferson Pestrunk disagreed. He said the governor's decision "doesn't affect the Democratic Party as a whole. I think if [McGreevey] would have resigned before Sept. 2, the Democrats still would have won the special election."
Even if McGreevey's decision does not have any longterm effect on the Democratic Party, Codey, the governor's replacement, might not be able to hold off the Republicans in 2006, George said.
Bret Schundler, the conservative Republican who was predicted to beat McGreevey in 2001 but lost in part because of party infighting, might be a foe for Codey.
"If Schundler and the party smoke the peace pipe, Codey is in for quite a fight," George said.
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