A Democratic member of the state Assembly suddenly resigned Wednesday, a day before the chamber is set for a key vote: whether to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto of a gun control bill
TRENTON -- A Democratic member of the state Assembly suddenly resigned Wednesday, leaving the party with one less seat in the chamber a day before a key vote: on whether to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto of a gun control bill.
Assemblyman Gilbert "Whip" Wilson (D-Camden) was elected sheriff of Camden County last month, though it wasn't he would leave his seat in the lower house of the state Legislature before his term runs out in January.
But Wilson, who did not run for re-election, sent a short letter of resignation to Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) on Wednesday.
"It has been my honor and privilege to hold this high office and I regret that I will not have the opportunity to continue to serve the constituents of the Fifth Legislative District," he wrote. "Nonetheless, I look forward to serving the constituents of the County of Camden as Sheriff."
The resignation means Democrats who control the Assembly will now need seven Republicans to join them in order to get the 54 votes needed to override Christie's gun bill veto Thursday.
Wilson's resignation letter did not explain why he was stepping down, but his attorney cited the need for his client to follow an obscure, 44-year-old state law that requires sheriffs in New Jersey to take their oaths of office within 30 days of their election. Wilson can't hold the Assembly and sheriff jobs at the same time under state law.
"It has nothing to do with the big vote," attorney William Tambussi said.
RELATED: N.J. Assembly sets vote on override of Christie gun bill veto
Democrats are aiming to override Christie's veto of a bill that would include local police to weigh in when people seek to expunge a documented mental illness from their record to obtain gun permit.
The state Senate -- which, like the Assembly, is controlled by Democrats -- voted in October to override the Republican governor's veto.
But the Assembly must follow suit for the override to go through.
Wilson's resignation drops the number of Democrats in the chamber from 48 to 47.
If the vote passes Thursday, it would mark the first time Democrats have successfully overridden one of Christie's vetoes.
It would also come at a crucial time for Christie as he runs for the 2016 Republican nomination for president -- a campaign in which he has championed being a protector of gun rights in New Jersey and a governor who has worked with the Legislature in a bipartisan way.
Prieto downplayed Wilson's resignation in a statement Wednesday, noting that the measure passed the Assembly in June with wide Republican support.
"This bill has always stood on its merits," the Assembly speaker said. "I'm not looking for six votes. I'm looking for the 74 votes, as no member has any reason for changing. Assemblyman Wilson's resignation is unfortunate, but it changes nothing."
Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) agreed with the speaker.
"We'll see where they go, but it shouldn't come down to one vote," Greenwald said. "You had 70-plus people who voted yes (in June.)"
Of course, many of the Democrats' override attempts have been of bills that had large Republican support. But each time, critics say, Republicans didn't vote for any of the overrides because they feared going against Christie.
Thursday marks 30 days since Wilson -- a 68-year-old retired Camden police officer and U.S. Air Force vet -- was elected sheriff. Tambussi, his attorney, said Wilson was scheduled to take the oath Wednesday to comply with the 1971 state law.
Tambussi said he tried to extend Wilson's time in the Assembly, but he ran into another problem: a 2008 state law that prohibits people in New Jersey from holding two elected positions.
Asked if they considered having Wilson resign around Election Day and appointing another Democrat to his Assembly seat until the end of the year, Tambussi said another state law calls for an appointee to serve longer than the two months or so left in Wilson's term.
Last year, Democrat Joseph Cryan was elected sheriff in Union County while still a member of the Assembly. But Cryan served the remainder of his term before taking the oath.
NJ Advance Media staff writer Susan K. Livio contributed to this report.
Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.