Kevin J. O’Toole, a former Republican state senator, was re-elected to a seventh one-year term as chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey this morning without opposition.
O’Toole has the support of the state’s two-term Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, to remain at the helm of the humungous bi-state transportation agency. Key Murphy allies on the Board of Commissioners, including George Helmy, the governor’s former chief of staff, Joseph Kelley, Murphy’s former deputy chief of staff, and Middlesex County Democratic Chairman Kevin McCabe, all voted for O’Toole.
Despite speculation that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul would pick her own person – possibly Kathryn Garcia – Rick Cotton was re-elected executive director. Cotton had been originally hired by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
O’Toole was originally named to the chairmanship by Republican Gov. Chris Christie; now it is increasingly apparent that he will remain through the entire eight years of Murphy’s governorship and into at least the first part of the next governor’s term.
After 22 years in the New Jersey Legislature, O’Toole has built strong relationships with senators on both sides of the aisle that have enabled him to remain in office. Murphy seems to like him, and key senators, including Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Brian P. Stack, have said they wouldn’t hold a confirmation vote for anyone seeking to take O’Toole’s seat.
O’Toole is an unpaid columnist for the New Jersey Globe.