Christie is going to waste $24 million in taxpayer money and a crucial GOP vote in the senate so he doesn’t have to appear on the same ballot as Cory Booker by calling for an early election to fill Lautenberg’s senate seat.

Via National Review:

Governor Chris Christie is expected to call for an October 2013 special Senate election at a press conference this afternoon in Trenton, N.J.

But did he have other options?

According to a legal document obtained by National Review, Christie did. He could have appointed a Republican to serve out the remainder of Frank Lautenberg’s term, with the next election to be held in November 2014, rather than a special election this year.

“The governor may make a temporary appointment and that person would serve until someone is elected at the next succeeding general election, held in November of 2014. The winner thereof would serve a full six-year term beginning in January of 2015.”

Insiders tell me that the November 2014 option was advised as the best course of action by national GOP officials, but Christie decided to go his own way.