Will Doherty really risk his Assembly seat for another Senate bid vs. Karrow?

By Wally Edge

U.S. Rep. Matthew Rinaldo, who passed away last year, was known for passing up chances to run for higher office.

Michael Doherty might have said that wild horses could not keep him out of the June GOP primary for State Senate, but his fear of being out of office completely might. Doherty, according to a few of his friends, could back out because he's not quite ready to gamble his $50,000-a-year seat in the State Assembly. He can threaten a primary challenge to State Sen.-elect Marcia Karrow, but in the end he could also back out and cut a deal to keep his Assembly seat.

Without blatantly challenging the testicular fortitude of the West Pointer, Doherty hasn't exactly shown a willingness to take huge risks in the past. Indeed, he could be the Matthew Rinaldo of his generation, a reference to the late ten-term Congressman from Union County who was frequently touted as a statewide candidate but never pulled the trigger.

Doherty, the only New Jersey legislator to endorse Ron Paul for President in 2008, publicly flirted with bids for Congress in 2002, Governor in 2005, U.S. Senate in 2006, State Senate in 2007 (against Leonard Lance in the GOP primary), and U.S. Senate in 2008. Each time, he backed out. His bid for Lance's State Senate seat had limited risks, since he was not forced to give up his Assembly seat to run. Even Paul didn't give up his seat in Congress while pursuing the GOP presidential nomination.

Wally Edge can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.

Related topics: Ron Paul, Marcia Karrow, Matthew Rinaldo, Michael Doherty

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