One of the most outspoken proponents of online gambling in the U.S. may seek the highest seat in the state of New Jersey in 2017. New Jersey State Senator Ray Lesniak let be known a bit over a week ago that he will not seek re-election to his spot in the Senate, instead eyeing the Governor’s mansion.
“If I don’t run for governor, I’m not running for re-election,” said Lesniak. “Forty years will be plenty for me. I need to do more and I can’t do more without being governor, so that’s why I’m running.”
In an interview with NJTV News Chief Political Correspondent Michael Aron, Lesniak said a campaign for governor is not guaranteed; he wants to know he has enough support to make a serious run before he officially throws his hat into the ring. As what level of support is necessary, he did not put it in exact terms, saying, “I need thousands of people behind me and what I need to do for the state of New Jersey to recognize what I’ve done for the state. People who want a fighter. New Jersey needs a fighter. Gov. Christie fights for himself. I’m going to fight for the state.”
He brought up gambling when relaying his thoughts on the biggest problems plaguing the Garden State:
Well obviously fiscal integrity. So we need to get our financial house in order, but we need to do so many other things. We have to rebuild our criminal justice system from top to bottom. We have to build our infrastructure for sure. We have to have somebody fighting, for instance, to knock out that Exxon settlement so we can get that money into the state. We have to fight for sports betting. I’ve been fighting for that. Biggest problem is we don’t have anybody standing up for New Jersey and I intend to be that person.
Lesniak has been the biggest supporter of online gambling in the state, having introduced several bills to legalize internet gaming in New Jersey. Of course, both online poker and online casino games became legal in late 2013. He is not satisfied with how things are right now, though. Lesniak wants sports betting legalized in New Jersey (despite New Jersey’s status as one of the top gambling states, sports betting is not even legal in land-based casinos because of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA)) and is one of the loudest supporters of PokerStars’ potential licensing.
PokerStars’ licensing application – and subsequent entry into the New Jersey market – has been inexplicably delayed for ages and Lesniak puts the blame squarely on Governor Chris Christie’s shoulders. In past Twitter conversations, Lesniak has said that Christie has held up PokerStars’ application solely because he was trying to stay on the good side of Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire Republican political donor and online gambling’s enemy number one in the United States. If PokerStars is still not licensed by the time Lesniak is governor, expect him to get on that right away.
*Cover image source: @SenatorLesniak Twitter account
