Mike Doherty

Hunterdon GOP Chairman Henry Kuhl "assumes" his county will field a candidate for Leonard Lance's State Senate seat

While Assemblyman Mike Doherty (R-Washington Township) is already pounding the pavement in an effort to succeed Congressman-elect Leonard Lance in the state Senate, no definite candidate from Lance’s native Hunterdon County has emerged to compete for the seat yet.

But long-time Hunterdon County Republican Chairman Henry Kuhl thinks there will be one.

“I would assume that that would happen,” he said.

Two state senators today endorsed Assemblyman Mike Doherty (R-Washington) to replace outgoing State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Flemington).

The moderate state Sen. Kevin O’Toole (R-Cedar Grove) said that Doherty “has worked diligently both in his district and across the state to represent the principles and values of the Republican Party.”

State Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Montville), a conservative, called Doherty a “gallant fighter for conservative principles.”  Pennacchio received Doherty’s endorsement for his own U.S. Senate campaign earlier this year after Doherty decided not to run.

Matt Holt, a Hunterdon County Freeholder and the grandson of former U.S. Sen. Clifford Case, says he might run for Leonard Lance's State Senate seat

Another potential candidate has emerged to succeed State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Flemington) after he resigns his seat to head to Congress.

Hunterdon County Freeholder Matt Holt this morning put one foot in the ring, announcing that he’s forming an exploratory committee to “examine his prospects” at the joint Hunterdon and Warren County convention that will decide who will serve in Lance’s seat until the November election.

Holt likened his political temperament to Lance and former State Sen. Bill Schluter, as a “voice of reason and moderation” and “a person of vision who avoids partisan gridlock in order to promote the best interests of the residents of Warren and Hunterdon counties.”

So far, Assemblyman Mike Doherty (R-Washington) is the only announced candidate to succeed Congressman-elect Leonard Lance (R-Flemington) in the state Senate. But he’s already won the endorsement of the state’s major pro-life organization, New Jersey Right to Life.

The group’s executive director, Marie Tasy, lauded Doherty as a “principled leader on matters concerning the sanctity of human life,” noting that his voting record has been firmly pro-life and that as a Warren County freeholder he “led the effort” against publicly funding Planned Parenthood.

U.S. Rep.-elect Leonard Lance won't take sides in a race to fill his State Senate seat in January

Asked whether he’ll endorse anyone to replace him in the state Senate, Congressman-elect Leonard Lance (R-Flemington) said that he would follow advice from his late father, former Senate President Wesley Lance. 

“He said, ‘You cannot choose your successor in political life,’” said Lance.  “I think I will remain neutral.”

At least one of Lance’s running mates, Assemblyman Michael Doherty, is running for the seat.  If his other running mate, Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow, jumps in, it could be an intense battle (Multiple Republican sources say, however, that Karrow is having second thoughts about running). 

“I think very highly of both of my running mates.  I think we have worked well together. Both of my running mates have experience on freeholder boards – experience I did not have, and I want to speak highly of both of them,” he said.

Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow (R-Flemington) said today that she is thinking about running for state Sen. Leonard Lance's (R-Flemington) seat, but she doesn’t want to make any announcements just yet.

“I am seriously thinking about it. However, I have to say that my friend Leonard Lance just spent a year of his life running for this seat in Congress, and he really deserves a week to revel in the victory, and I don’t want to diminish any of the press. This is his week,” she said. “I think he just wants to enjoy the limelight and steal his thunder, and I will not be part of stealing his thunder.”

Asked whether that comment was a jab at her district-mate, Assemblyman Mike Doherty (R-Washington), who earlier today told PolitickerNJ.com that he planned to run for the seat, Karrow said “I didn’t say that.”

Now that State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Flemington) is headed to Congress, his district-mate, Assemblyman Mike Doherty (R-Washington Township) plans to seek his seat.

Doherty is filing his paperwork with the Election Law Enforcement Commission today.

“I am announcing today that I am running for the state Senate seat, and I’m going to be spending today getting out my announcements and contacting the chairmen of the two counties, other elected officials and others involved in political circles,” Doherty told PolitickerNJ.com this morning.

Doherty’s heavily Republican district spans mostly rural Hunterdon and Warren Counties. The two Republican county committees must meet within 35 days of Lance's resignation to choose a replacement. Since there are more than two years remaining in Lance’s term, whoever the committees select to fill the seat will have to win a primary contest in June of next year and a special general election in November.

While some local conservatives have praised John McCain’s choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for Vice President, Assemblyman Michael Doherty isn’t thrilled politically or ideologically.

“Alaska is firmly in the Republican ranks, I’m sure. Just speaking through politics, I think it would make sense to pick somebody from a large state who may actually help to get you to 270,” he said.

Doherty, one of the most conservative Assemblymen, said that from a purely political standpoint Mitt Romney would have been a good choice, since he would make Michigan more competitive.

On the ideological front, Doherty was never a fan of McCain’s or any of the establishment Republican presidential candidates. He was the only New Jersey legislator to back Texas Rep. Ron Paul for President.

Doherty said he'll need to reserve judgment on Palin until he learns where she stands on foreign policy.

On the heels of a poll commissioned by a LGBT rights organization that said the majority of New Jersey voters favor allowing gay marriage, Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Township) pushed for his own legislation that would call for an amendment to the state constitution that would allow New Jerseyans to vote on the issue.

“The people of New Jersey should have the final say on this fundamental issue and it’s time to allow their voices to be heard so that we can put this diversion behind us and move forward on real issues that are affecting our residents,” said Doherty in a press release.

Meanwhile, Steven Goldstein – chair of Garden State Equality, which paid for the Zogby poll – took the opportunity to invite Doherty to his own wedding next year.

“He’s entitled to his view and I look forward to welcoming him to my wedding in New Jersey in 2009,” said Goldstein. “Honestly, if he’d like to be in the wedding party, he’s more than welcome. I’ll personally buy him any tuxedo of his choosing.”

Although he voted for George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 - in part the first time because of the Republican candidate's promise not to nation-build - Assemblyman Michael Doherty admits the Bush administration has been an international disaster.