TRENTON – InsiderNJ buttonholed Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-28) following his no vote on a bill that would enable his old antagonist, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to run concurrently for the U.S. Senate and President in 2020.

Is the man who lost the 2006 contest for Newark mayor to Booker ruling him out out as a prez prospect?

“No,” said Rice. “It’s too early to determine who the candidates are going to be, and this had nothing to do with my preference for president.

“I voted against it because we have outlawed being a dual office holder and to change the state law for this case seems to me to be contradictory,” said Rice. “It’s hypocritical to say we have conflicts of interest at one level of government – local office and freeholder, for example – but not another.”

Senator Shirley Turner (D-15) joined Rice with a no vote on the bill.