Today is Election Day in parts of Hunterdon and Warren counties, where members of the Republican County Committee from the 23rd legislative district will hold a special election convention to replace Leonard Lance in the State Senate.  Lance resigned from the Senate on January 3 to take his seat in Congress.

Two Republicans are seeking to replace Lance: four-term Assemblyman Michael Doherty, 45, a former Warren County Freeholder and West Point graduate; and Marcia Karrow, 49, a two-term Assemblywoman who has served as a Hunterdon County Freeholder and as Mayor of Raritan Township.

 Doherty is viewed as one of the most conservative members of the Legislature and has mulled bids for higher office in recent years, including an exploratory committee for the 2008 U.S. Senate nomination.  He was he only legislator to back Ron Paul for President in the last election.  Karrow, a graduate of Smith College, has masters degrees from the University of Michigan and CUNY.  She  is viewed as a moderate and has the backing of the Hunterdon County Republican organization and eight mayors from Warren County.

The winner will get sworn in to the Senate at their next session, now scheduled for February 23.  The Senate contest will trigger another special election convention to fill the soon-to-be vacant Assembly seat.

District 23 is comprised of: Alexandria Township, Allamuchy Township, Alpha Borough, Belvidere Town, Bethlehem Township, Blairstown Township, Bloomsbury Borough, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Delaware Township, East Amwell Township, Flemington Borough, Franklin Township(Hunterdon County), Franklin Township(Warren County), Frelinghuysen Township, Frenchtown Borough, Glen Gardner Borough, Greenwich Township, Hackettstown Town, Hampton Borough, Hardwick Township, Harmony Township, High Bridge Borough, Holland Township, Hope Township, Independence Township, Kingwood Township, Knowlton Township, Lambertville City, Lebanon Borough, Lebanon Township, Liberty Township, Lopatcong Township, Mansfield Township, Milford Borough, Oxford Township, Phillipsburg Town, Pohatcong Township, Raritan Township, Readington Township, Stockton Borough, Union Township, Washington Borough, Washington Township, West Amwell Township, White Township.