Breaking Now: NJ To Get First Republican Senator Since 1982 (Nancy Reagan Was First Lady)

I was almost ready to put up a new poll asking whether NJ governor Chris Christie would run as an independent in 2016 but it was too far afield.

And then this story broke.

Then this, from a tweet: Looks like Christie got told by GOP to appoint somebody GOP or he'll be running IND in 2014. He might be Hillary's VP in 2016 yet.

First GOP senator since 1982.

This is not a random post on a random political event.

It has relevance to an earlier post: Meredith Whitney's look at the parting of ways for the US "united" states.  I did not realize that New Jersey was in such tough shape. According to Ms Whitney:

“Illinois and New Jersey are the worst because they've been doing it the longest,” Whitney says, adding Michigan and California to her list of bad state actors.

I have a very fond spot in my heart for New Jersey; I "lived" a lifetime there one summer. I did not realize the state was in such trouble. The state is very seldom mentioned on this page. But:

California, Illinois, and  New Jersey: three states in most trouble, according to Meredith Whitney. April 26, 2012.

That was back in early 2012, more than a year ago. Something tells me Christie has his work cut out for himself and explains his coziness to President Obama. It's hard for me to see a Hillary-Christie ticket in 2016, but stranger things have happened, I suppose.