Donald Trump tells Newsmax he knows who New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie should appoint to fill the Senate seat vacated by the death of Frank Lautenberg — former Garden State Gov. Tom Kean.
Christie has called for a special election to select Democrat Lautenberg's successor, but he will appoint someone to serve in the interim.
"He should pick a Republican," Trumps says. "He should pick a Republican and in terms of a choice, a really wise choice – and he'll make one regardless – would be Tom Kean. Tom Kean was a terrific governor, people really liked him, everybody respected him, and he'd be a wise choice."
Kean served from 1982 to 1990 and went on to head the 9/11 Commission investigating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Asked if Kean could defeat the likely Democratic nominee, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, in 2014, Trump says: "I don't know that he'd even run. Part of it would be that he perhaps wouldn't run. I'm not sure about that. But at least on an interim basis it would be a really popular choice because he's so respected by everybody.
"As to what he does from there, as to whether or not he wants to run, I don't know. Cory Booker would be a tremendous candidate for the Democrats and he is never easy to beat. But Tom Kean as an initial choice would be a great one.
"He's respected by everybody and that means Democrat and Republican and everybody else. He's liked and respected, which is a rare combination, and he really was considered an excellent governor when he ran New Jersey."
Editor's Note: See the full Newsmax interview with Donald Trump and excerpts:
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