Frank Lautenberg Was Going to Retire…Until Cory Booker Ran for his Seat

Until recently, New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg was planning to retire, leaving the field open for Cory Booker to take his place. Until, that is, Cory Booker decided to run for his seat. The Times reports that a couple Lautenberg aides told Booker in December that their boss was going to retire soon anyways, and that the Newark Mayor should just hold off an an announcement until he did so. Instead, Booker jumped the gun and announced he was running (without talking to his potential primary opponent). So Lautenberg decided to stick it to the whippersnapper. “I’m going to finish the work I’m doing,” he said in an interview. “And he should finish the work he is doing instead of traipsing around the country.” Well put. [New York Times]