New Jersey State Legislature Begins Reorganization With One Major Change
TRENTON, NJ (CBS) -- New Jersey state legislators are getting their leadership teams in place for the new term that starts in January, and there will be one change in the lineup.
The Assembly will have a new speaker.
Vincent Prieto of Hudson County took himself out of the running for what would have been a third term, which is no surprise given Middlesex County Assemblyman Craig Coughlin announced months ago he had gathered enough backers to oust Prieto.
Several democrats blame Prieto, at least in part, for last July's three-day government shutdown.
No word on when the change will be made official, but it'll be by Jan. 9, when the new legislature is sworn in, a week before Governor-elect Phil Murphy is inaugurated.
On the Senate side of the chamber, Democrats elected Gloucester County's Steve Sweeney for a third term. Republicans re-elected their current leadership in both chambers.