In shell-shocked circumstances, Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19) has scheduled a caucus meeting on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Statehouse.

Sources say the sedate Coughlin of Middlesex County has the votes to be speaker again.

So does the speaker’s sitting leadership team.

Coughlin is said to be running unopposed.

He was calling around for support from his fellow Democrats this week.

Prior to the election no one would have questioned such a meeting.

But the timing of the event confounded some Democratic caucus members who see the shake-up in the senate as integral to the process in the Assembly.

Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) will be gone next year, replaced by a nonunion truck driver named Ed Durr.

Typically speaker and senate president emerge as a balancing act, a package that factors in region, and other talents, like machine malleability.

Why would Coughlin want to get nailed down as speaker, if Middlesex – with six senators at the chairman’s behest – could take a shot at senate president?

Senator Joe Vitale or Senator Joe Cryan fit the bill.

But sources said they weren’t likely to emerge as senate presidential timber with Coughlin reinstalled.

Senator M. Teresa Ruiz of Essex County emerged Tuesday as a possible successor to Sweeney.

She would likely have the backing of Essex County Democratic Committee Chairman LeRoy Jones, and – sources say – support from two thirds of Hudson County’s delegation, in addition to Middlesex. Senator Brian P. Stack and Sandra Cunningham could see themselves backing Ruiz in caucus fight.

It was fluid, though.

Senators Joe Lagana and Paul Sarlo of Bergen and Nick Scutari of Union were also said to be interested in the senate presidency.

Jones had some work to do if he planned to mount an offensive with Ruiz.

Scutari was said to have nibbled the attentions of a third Hudson senator.

Lagana was hanging around.

Stung last night, South Jersey had an option, too – teaming with Republicans.