NEW JERSEY (PIX11) -- In the aftermath of Sen. Bob Menendez's decision to leave his senate seat following his conviction on corruption charges, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has pledged to make a quick decision as to who should fill his vacant seat.
Being a strong proponent of diversity, Murphy has at least two African-American women on his short list to fill out Menendez's term, which runs until January. At the moment, the candidate who won the New Jersey Democratic primary doesn't appear to be the governor's favored choice.
Following his conviction on 16 corruption charges, Menendez announced he would resign on Aug. 20 from the senate seat he has held for 18 years.
That gives Murphy the responsibility to name someone to fill that seat for the next five months. His wife Tammy, who ran for the seat but withdrew from the race before the primary, said she's not interested.
Murphy is said to be considering several people. According to political consultant and professor of government and politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University Dan Cassino, at least two African-American women top the list.
"Tahesha Way, the current lieutenant governor and a Murphy loyalist, would be a safe pick and would do what Murphy wants. And she's a woman of color," he said.
He also named Nina Mitchell Wells, another African-American woman who is very well respected in New Jersey politics and a former secretary of state.
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, a longtime Democratic leader in New Jersey, has indicated she would like to be considered to fill the Menendez seat in the Senate.
Congressman Andy Kim is the Democratic nominee for the New Jersey Senate race but is not believed to be on the governor's shortlist.
"Andy Kim ran a sustained pretty negative campaign against the governor's wife, so I'm sure there's no love lost there," according to Dan Cassino.
Murphy has described himself as a liberal Democrat and has discussed diversity. Naming the first black New Jersey woman to a senate seat would be a positive step for him.
"He has talked a lot about diversity, and selecting the first black woman from New Jersey to serve in the U.S. Senate is a way to demonstrate his commitment to diversity," Cassino said.
While the effort is underway to fill the remainder of Menendzez's term, political consultant Cassino said the seat could remain vacant until January.
"He would face a lot of flak for that because the Senate is so divided. Democrats have a one-seat majority. If Democrats lose a seat, you have a tie-ball game. Democrats can't afford to have a seat vacant," the political consultant claimed.
Murphy is also under pressure from Republicans, including two former governors, Thomas Kean and Chris Christie, to consider the republican nominee Curtis Bashaw. They said the governor should give voters a free choice in November, a choice unencumbered by political influence.
