Governor Murphy has just days remaining before he needs to appoint someone to fill the seat of Senator Bob Menendez who will be resigning from his position on August 20th after being found guilty of 16 felony counts for bribery and conspiracy and there's a growing chorus calling on the governor to select another Latin American more specifically Patricia compos Medina a longtime political leader and activist for the latinx community in New Jersey she came in a distant second behind Congressman Andy Kim in the Democratic primary for US Senate Bergen Record political columnist Charlie Stile writes that tapping her could be a smart political move for Murphy but his sights may be set elsewhere Charlie's with me now for the latest Charlie you wrote about some of the prospects who may be on Governor Murphy's short list but why have folks been rallying around compos Medina I think because the res ation of Bob Menendez is a huge loss to the uh Hispanic Latino Community here in New Jersey he has strong ties there were six US senators of Latino origin and he was the most powerful his ties are strong and it's a major constituency of the democratic party so the argument is being made that this is that that seat should be replaced by a loyal and growing and sign significant constituency the Democratic party I suppose you could also make the case that you know Governor Murphy could use this opportunity to make some history or or make this uh a real identity politics situation yes I mean he could satisfy uh the the need or the demand I would say from the the Latino community and um name the first US senator from New Jersey was a woman and and you would have that uh dual historic impact but um I think it's still a pretty much a long shot what about Andy Kim is he on the short list I mean that might make sense if he's the presumed front runner here uh I it would make sense it would there's a lot of political advantage in doing it but uh I doubt it I I seriously doubt it I think the Murphy family really has not come to terms with her loss I don't think the governor has ever really or certainly his wife ever been in this kind of competitive combative campaign before they lost and I think they're not about to reward people who beat them but doesn't that I mean give the Democratic party a leg up by putting their guy in there early to a you know hit the ground running get the lay of the land figure out where the bathrooms are um and give them a little extra name recognition before the general absolutely and give him a platform by which to Campaign which would have certainly been a more valuable um asset if um this if New Jersey does become a competitive state that seems less likely now and if Bob Menendez will know that by the end of the week that seems less likely that he would enter the race as an independent but if you had those factors giving Andy Kim that platform as the incumbent to run as the deao incumbent would have been invaluable yeah uh but I don't see that happening so who else is on the short list uh there have been a number of names floated judges in the like and sort of the shuffle that that would create if if the governor went that route because of course we do have a Judicial vacancy um but who are the contenders uh as we sit here today well the names I've seen floated and heard myself to a degree are uh his former Chief of Staff George helmy who is a Hospital Systems executive now um very loyal he was a confidon of the governor and I still think he's sort of like a uh kind of a minister without portfolio off the Record kind of advisor to the governor trusted and he was um a guy who played uh kind of a significant role in uh steadying the the the sh the Murphy second term ship and um so I think that name is in play I think he also uh is very much uh trusts and likes tahisha way the Secretary of State uh lieutenant governor um and so I think those two names are definitely in play there's been some others but those are the two most prominent I've heard we'll find out in about seven days or so Charlie Stile for us Charlie thanks as always it's my pleasure [Music]