Caldwell Resigns As Lt. Governor. What Happens Next?

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell has officially resigned from his position following allegations of sexual harassment and state ethics violations, with Gov. Mikie Sherrill now searching for his replacement.

As of Friday, Sept. 28, the date of Caldwell’s resignation, Gov. Mikie Sherrill has 45 days to name a new lieutenant governor. This places Sherrill’s deadline on Nov. 9. No official frontrunners have been announced.

Since Caldwell also stepped down as secretary of state, Sherrill has two positions to fill. For now, Shirley Emehelu, New Jersey’s former acting state comptroller, will serve as acting secretary of state and oversee the upcoming midterm elections this November.

“I have full faith that Shirley and the team at the Department of State will make sure all eligible New Jerseyans can make their voices heard this November,” Sherrill said in a statement.

According to Ballotpedia, to become a lieutenant governor of New Jersey, a candidate must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least 20 years, and a state resident for at least seven years. However, members of Congress or persons holding a U.S. or state office/position for profit are eligible.

Now that NJ lacks a lieutenant governor, Sherrill must appoint someone to oversee interim operations while she travels outside the state. On Sept. 25, Sherrill explained during a press conference that the Senate President Nicholas P. Scutari will run the state while she is traveling outside of New Jersey. She also confirmed that she will select Caldwell’s replacement within 45 days of his resignation.

As for the qualities she desires in a lieutenant governor, Sherrill added that she is looking for a candidate who has “first and foremost…a dedication to the people of New Jersey”

“I will be looking for someone with a history of really [focusing] on the public good, and we have so many different issues in this state,” said Sherrill, “and we are…covering the waterfront on everything from utility costs to housing costs to health care, and so there are a few areas that I would love to see our new lieutenant governor engaged in and able to tackle.”

While Sherrill searches for her new second-in-command, Caldwell hasn’t finished defending himself. 

In an interview with CBS News New York, Caldwell denied the allegations against him, but he chose to resign “because the priority has to be the people of New Jersey.” He argued that the criminal investigation led by former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino found no evidence that he committed any wrongdoing.

“How could a lawyer make this determination with no corroborating evidence? You know, that is not what America’s all about. America’s about fairness,” said Caldwell. 

Caldwell also said that he plans to take legal action to have the sexual misconduct allegations dropped. Even if Caldwell succeeds on this front, it would ultimately boil down to whether Sherrill decides to rehire him to her administration.

Despite Caldwell’s accusations against her administration, Sherrill insisted that the investigation was “thorough and impartial,” and that she is “committed to ensuring everyone is treated fairly.”

“Leaders have an obligation to make sure everyone in an organization is bought into the mission and able to succeed. I take that responsibility incredibly seriously. My goal as Governor is to empower our hardworking public servants, so they can remain focused on serving our state,” she said in a statement.