Senator Peter Barnes first won his Senate seat in 2013.
EDISON — Edison Democrats are planning a going away party for a state senator as he prepares an alleged new phase of his career in the judiciary.
Just one problem: the senator says he's not going anywhere just yet.
"It's totally untrue," said state Sen. Peter Barnes, a Democrat, after rumors that an appointment to a judge position was a fait accompli.
Barnes said the process of becoming a judge is lengthy, first with a governor's appointment, and then a Senate sign-off. The state bar association is also consulted. None of those discussions, officially or unofficially, have happened, and they could take some time, Barnes said.
"I'm not leaving in December, I'm not leaving in January, I'm not poised to leave," Barnes said. "I am not going to be leaving in the next couple of months. ... I'm very honored to serve as the senator for the 18th district."
Despite Barnes' avowals, however, Democratic Party leaders in Edison are preparing for an eventuallity that even Barnes himself acknowledges he would welcome. If Barnes is appointed as a judge, a position he has long coveted, a vacancy would open in the upper chamber. Politicker first reported the rumors, which kicked them into an even higher gear.
The running assumption is that Assemblyman Pat Diegnan would ascend to the Senate, leaving an Assembly seat up for grabs.
"If he makes that decision, clearly (running for Senate) is something I would want to do," said Diegnan, of South Plainfield. "I'm prepared to do it. And it's my understanding I have pretty much overall support from the district."
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Edison Democrats are trying to avoid what happened in 2013, when two candidates from the 18th district's largest town tried to get an Assembly nomination but lost to then-East Brunswick Councilwoman Nancy Pinkin.
Three township council members — Robert Diehl, Sapana Shah and Robert Karabinchak — have been calling local Democratic leaders to lay the groundwork for a campaign in a district dominated by Democrats.
"If it happens, I'm interested, and I will pursue it," said Diehl, a school official in South Plainfield.
Diehl is the council president in Edison. Along with Karabinchak, he unsuccessfully screened for the Assembly seat in 2013.
"If it happens, I would be extremely happy for Pete Barnes," Karabinchak said. "I think he deserves it. And if that does happen, I would be interested in running for an open seat, whether it's the Senate or the Assembly."
Shah said the rumors "sprang up out of nowhere," but that she's strongly considering a run.
"I am grateful that my name is being mentioned as an Assembly contender especially since two other choices are council colleagues who I respect," Shah said. "Serving in the Assembly is something I considered for the future. But it appears that I should give this idea serious consideration now."
It's an Edison story, through and through (including the vastly divergent conceptions of reality): Senator Barnes himself is an Edison resident and former councilman here. He was first elected in 2013 after his own stint in the Assembly.
Diehl will count on the support of newly elected Edison Democratic chairman Keith Hahn. Karabinchak may have the support of a large opposing faction on the town's party committee. Shah will campaign as a new voice who would bring diversity to a ticket that is currently all white, despite Edison's large Indian community.
Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
