Analysis: New Jersey Gaming Expansion Vote Favors Supporters
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- New Jersey voters will get to decide this November whether to allow for casinos outside Atlantic City. Experts expect a real political dogfight come the fall.
Both houses of the New Jersey Legislature this week approved a plan to allow for a popular vote on changing the state constitution. The referendum calls for two casinos in the northern part of the state.
Some experts believe opponents of the idea, many of them South Jersey politicians and those with interests in Atlantic City, have their work cut out for them.
"I don't think it's going to be a big deal in Northern New Jersey because nobody up there is going to be opposing the deal," says Richard Harris, head of the Political Science Department at Rutgers-Camden in an interview with KYW Newsradio. "But I could easily see this being a cause that is taken up in election campaigns in the South."
And then, there are those who are front and center on the gaming expansion question.
"If you look at the tableau there of Governor Christie, Senator Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Prieto, that looks like a very powerful message that the forces are aligned to make this happen," Harris said.
In fact, it was Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester County) who brokered a compromise with Christie to get the referendum on the ballot. It's no secret Sweeney is interested in succeeding Christie as Governor and that race is set for 2017. Backing this idea gives him a lot of political traction north of Trenton.
Then there are the trade unions that stand to benefit from construction work. Both casinos that would go up in North Jersey are expected to cost a billion dollars each. That translates into a lot of jobs.
Finally, do the math. There are far more voters north of Trenton than South, with the White House at the top of the ticket.
Bottom line, Harris gives the opponents little chance of success.
