Election Day Some feel big business issues are on hold until Christie announces presidential intentions

Listen to this article

Election Day is often an opportunity to restart the legislative process. But that’s not necessarily the case this year in New Jersey. As voters head to the polls for the mid-term elections on Tuesday, Nov. 4, legislators and policy-makers can’t be blamed for looking ahead to the 2016 presidential election — one many feel is holding up action…

Gov. Chris Christie has not officially declared himself a national candidate. But he’s acting like one. And that alone is impacting what is getting done in Trenton, as all issues seemingly are viewed by how they will play with a national audience. As Christie’s national profile continues to rise, state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) — a Christie critic — says he is concerned with the lack of “time he’s had to focus on important New Jersey issues.”

Still, Lesniak says that Christie’s time spent out of the state on Republican Governors Association and other business also has had its perks, politically speaking. “I believe it has freed up Republican legislators to assert themselves and their views and their opinions and not be, quite frankly, under his thumb,” he said.

But while politicos may enjoy speculating on Christie’s future (will he declare? will he resign if he does?), the uncertainty surrounding it may pose its own set of challenges for legislators and policy wonks in Trenton.

What issues at hand are currently affected, positively or negatively, by the lingering prospect of a governor on the move? Is a potential regime change needed for any particular bill to move forward?

Here’s a look at some key issues and how they impact business

Noteworthy races to follow this week and they they impact business

E-mail to: [email protected]
On Twitter: @andrgeorge