Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Trenton) is candid about her hope to succeed Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), who will announce his retirement at a press conference this afternoon.  

“Having had the opportunity to serve the caucus in a leadership position in legislature, I believe ascending to the speaker’s position is a natural extension based on the work I’ve already been doing,” Watson Coleman told PolitickerNJ.com in a conference call.

Watson Coleman said that she was still waiting for official word of Roberts’ retirement, and that she would support him for another term if he wanted to run again.  

“Whatever he does I’m going to be happy for him. It’s just been a real honor and pleasure to be a part of his leadership team,” she said.

Watson Coleman said that her Trenton-based district is “like Switzerland” – neither north nor south Jersey, which traditionally split control of the two houses.  

“I believe that the legislators from the Mercer area have consistently looked at the needs of the state from north to south, east to west. We’re not north Jersey localized or south Jersey localized, and I think people appreciate that and understand that,” she said.