Gov. Chris Christie announced he will seek to fill a long-standing vacancy on the state Supreme Court.
TRENTON -- In a surprise move Monday, Gov. Chris Christie announced he will seek to fill a long-standing vacancy on the state Supreme Court by once again nominating a veteran Monmouth County judge he unsuccessfully pushed for the bench nearly four years ago.
Christie declared during a Statehouse news conference that he has picked Superior Court Judge David Bauman, a fellow Republican, for a second time to New Jersey's highest court.
If confirmed this time, Bauman would take the seventh seat on the seven-member Supreme Court. The spot has been vacant for six years amid a fight with Democratic leaders of the state Legislature over the makeup of the court.
Monday's announcement could reignite the battle, which seemed to have died down a little over a year ago.
Christie shoots down questions about Trump
The news conference came only three days after Christie shocked the political world by endorsing Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump for the White House -- a move than rankled many in the GOP.
But the governor refused to answer questions related to anything other than the Supreme Court pick and deflected speculation that he made the announcement only to distract from the fallout over the Trump endorsement.
"'Did I do something as serious as a Supreme Court nomination in 24 hours?" Christie asked. "No, this has been in preparation for quite some time."
Asked why he would not take questions related to Trump, Christie said: "Because I don't want to."
Christie has long battled with state Senate Democrats over nominations to the Supreme Court. Over the last six years, Christie has ousted two sitting justices and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) led efforts to block four of the governor's nominees.
Bauman was one of them. Christie nominated him in December 2012, but the Senate never gave him a confirmation hearing, and the governor pulled the nomination.
The stalemate apparently broke in 2014, when Christie and Sweeney brokered a deal to give Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, a Democrat, lifetime tenure and to appoint Lee Solomon to another vacancy on the court. The final vacant seat was expected to remain vacant until Christie's term was up.
Asked why he decided to nominate someone to the vacancy now, Christie said: "The spirit moved me."
Christie said he contacted Sweeney on Monday about the nomination. Richard McGrath, a spokesman for Sweeney, said the Senate president was unavailable for comment.
State Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), the chairman of the Senate's judiciary committee, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
But Christie called Bauman, 59, of Holmdel, "exceptionally qualified," and said the judge was the best of the candidates he considered to finally fill the vacancy.
He added that the state Senate unanimously confirmed Bauman last year for lifetime tenure on Monmouth County's Superior Court.
That, Christie said, shows "there is no reason for them not to take on this nomination."
If he doesn't get a prompt hearing, the governor added, that means Democrats are playing "partisan politics."
Christie noted that his nomination comes at the same time as a sudden vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court, following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
President Obama, a Democrat, said he will seek to fill the seat. Republican who control the U.S. Senate vowed not to consider Obama eventual nominee, while Democrats have urged not to block the process.
"I hope and trust, given how vocal Democrats have been about Washington, D.C., and the problems down there, that they will allow New Jersey to set an example," Christie said.
The governor -- who ended his bid for the Republican presidential nomination earlier this month -- said he believes the U.S. Senate should consider Obama's pick.
"I think that is absolutely the right thing to do," Christie said. "People can vote up or down however they choose. But hearings should be held."
Bauman worked in private practice for 17 years before Gov. Jon Corzine, a Democrat, nominated him to the Superior Court in 2008.
At Monday's news conference, Bauman said he pledged four years ago that he would do "everything in my power to justify" his confirmation.
"Today, I reaffirm my pledge," he said.
If confirmed, Bauman would be the first Asian-American to serve on the state Supreme Court. He would replace Mary Catherine Cuff, who was temporarily appointed to the seat in 2012.
Christie said it would also bring the makeup of the court to four Republicans, two Democrats, and one independent.
He noted that it is standard in New Jersey for the sitting governor's party have four seats on the court.
Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.