TRENTON — State Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth), a victim of the redistricting process, plans to move down to the Assembly rather than wage a primary campaign against another Republican state senator. In the new legislative district map adopted Sunday, Kean shares a district with state Sen. Robert Singer (R-Ocean). “I’m going to run with Bob Singer. He’s going to...
N.J. Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth) in this 2009 file photo. Kean, a victim of the redistricting process, plans to move down to the Assembly rather than wage a primary campaign against another Republican state senator.TRENTON — State Sen. Sean Kean (R-Monmouth), a victim of the redistricting process, plans to move down to the Assembly rather than wage a primary campaign against another Republican state senator.
In the new legislative district map adopted Sunday, Kean shares a district with state Sen. Robert Singer (R-Ocean).
“I’m going to run with Bob Singer. He’s going to be the senator. I’ll be in the Assembly,” said Kean in a phone interview. “I really enjoyed being in the Senate, and I hope to be back one day.”
Kean said Assemblyman David Rible (R-Monmouth) will also be on the ticket in a district that favors Republicans.
“At the end of the day, I like Bob,” said Kean. “He’s a good friend, and I hope that I get some credit for avoiding a Republican primary where Republicans are going to have to spend a lot of money against each other and fight.”
The arrangement will be formalized at the Ocean County Republicans’ convention Wednesday and the Monmouth County GOP’s convention this weekend.
Kean intends to move back up to the Senate in the future, but both he and Singer said they have no formal agreement about Singer eventually stepping aside.
“Let me just say one thing to you: Sean is a great legislator and I think he has a bright future,” said Singer, who has been in the Senate since 1993. “I’m not going to be here another 20 years.”
Singer said Democrats created the district to “stir the pot” and force the two Republcians to spend a lot of campaign cash against each other.
“This was done intentionally to cause this and we’re not going to allow it,” he said.
Previous coverage:
• Lambertville mayor won't run for N.J. Assembly seat
• N.J. Sen. Girgenti will not seek re-election after redrawn legislative map moves him to new district
• N.J. legislative redistricting forces Mercer area shakeup, Assemblyman Gusciora to move to Trenton
• N.J. Assemblyman to retire after being shifted to another district in redrawn legislative map