Strictly hypothetically in the interest of how the process works, if Menendez were to resign prior to August 27th, New Jersey would hold a general election for the Senate seat this coming November.
If the senator waits until after that date to vacate the seat, the state would face a 2014 general election for the Senate seat.....
In both cases, Christie would choose Menendez’s successor, who would run for the seat as the incumbent.
...Republican sources offer the following politicians on Christie’s U.S. Senate short list:
Lieutenant Governor
Kim Guadagno,
state Senate Minority Leader
Tom Kean (R-21),
state Sen.
Joe Kyrillos (R-13),
state Sen.
Kevin O’Toole (R-40), and
Assembly Minority Leader Jon
Bramnick (R-21).
Kean has an edge, according to one source, in part because he’s the son of a former governor and was the first to run against Senator Menendez in 2006
more: http://www.politickernj.com/62822/menendez-buzz-chamber-train