What are some of the political questions heading into 2023?

Let’s begin with some math.

The new year, 2023, marks the beginning of Phil Murphy’s sixth year in office.

All gubernatorial terms are different, but for what it’s worth, it was during Chris Christie’s sixth year in office – 2015 – when he seemed to get bored with the job. He spent much time out of state helping other Republican candidates and also laying the groundwork for a 2016 presidential campaign. That campaign eventually ended pretty quickly, but no one knew that in 2015.

Despite some speculation, the hunch here is that Murphy has no plans to seek the presidency.

Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how much time he spends out of state and if his priorities have changed. The anti-hunt lobby, for example. remains irritated by Murphy’s recent flip-flop on bear hunting. (Just as an aside, 114 bears were “harvested” in the hunt, much less than the state’s target. So, just maybe there aren’t as many bears out there as hunting advocates claim).

The year to come is a legislative election year. That may not stir the hearts of ordinary people, but it sure does for politicians.

It is also the first election under the new map, which was actually produced through compromise. Call it bipartisan gerrymandering.

At the same time, Republicans have been enthused, saying the new district lines give them a better chance to take control of at least one of the two houses. That will take some doing. The GOP needs to “flip” five seats in the Senate and seven in the Assembly.

Some of this optimism arose after the 2021 gubernatorial election when Jack Ciattarelli came within three points or so of Murphy and Steve Sweeney, the Senate president, was defeated by a political neophyte.

Republicans also made gains in the Assembly.

This past election, however, told a different story.

Republicans largely failed to carry through with their 2021 momentum, winning only CD-7, which was redistricted to their advantage. They also failed to gain back territory lost to Democrats in Bergen and Somerset counties.

All this makes the 2023 midterms a blank slate, no matter what some of the partisans may tell you.

Moreover, come January, 2025 will be a mere two years away.

And who in 2023 is going to emerge as a definite candidate for governor?

On the Dem side, there are rumors about Steve Fulop. Ras Baraka, Mikie Sherrill and Sean Spiller.

On the GOP side of the aisle, Ciattarelli already has said he’s running again. In fact, he announced his intentions a week or so after the 2021 election. That’s fine, but you know there again will be challenges from the right.

Additionally, don’t be surprised if some mainstream Republicans begin making some noise on the premise that Ciattarelli had his chance.

Sure, he came close, but he still lost.

It will be fascinating to see – or perhaps guess – the intentions of the above as they conduct business in the year ahead.

Speaking of the Republicans’ congressional pickup – CD-7 – it’s worth asking when, and if, Tom Malinowski will launch a 2024 campaign. It’s obvious Malinowski thoroughly enjoyed being in the House and you’d expect him to run again.

As for incoming Rep. Thomas H. Kean Jr., just how will his term begin?

Team Kean is asking supporters on Facebook to “sign” a good luck card for the new rep. All well and good, but here is a more relevant

question: Will Kean hold a town hall or some type of public event to interact with his new constituents?

The new year also brings forth a whole lot of issues in Hudson County.

In West New York, the question has to be, “Is this upward mobility?”

Albio Sires is giving up a safe seat in Congress to run – again – for mayor, a job he once held.  Sires, who old time local sport fans remember as a basketball star on a county championship team at Memorial High School, clearly has deep roots in the city.

I vividly recall Sires expressing joy on Election Night, 2019 when his candidate, Gabe Rodriquez, bested then mayor Felix Roque.

Roque may run again, thereby setting up a chance for revenge. But Cosmo Cirillo, a city commissioner, also plans to be in the race.

One would think that a well-known former congressman would be a cinch to win a three-person race, but as they say, “you still have to play the game.”

Speaking of revenge. across Kennedy Boulevard in North Bergen, Larry Wainstein said in a recent press release that he will again challenge Nick Sacco for mayor.

We have been here before. Sacco easily beat Wainstein the last two election cycles.

Still, this fight promises to be interesting.

Wainstein has claimed that the “Sacco machine” serves itself, not residents..

Last time around, Team Sacco alleged that Wainstein actually lives in Franklin Lakes, not North Bergen.

We would be remiss if we did not mention a simmering issue miles away from Hudson County in Mendham Township, Morris County.

Mirroring a national trend. Republican Tom Baio lost his seat on the governing body by three votes,  but has refused to concede. In fact, he is challenging the votes of 34 individuals, claiming they do not live in the municipality.

A trial is set for Jan. 19.

Meanwhile, the township’s reorganization meeting, at which new members, including elected Democrat Lauren Spirig, are generally sworn-in, takes place Jan. 5.

Confusing, no?