With Singer, Noriega is one-third of his way to the magic number of 21

The deputy minority leader of the New Jersey State Senate has come out in support of Gov. Phil Murphy’s pick to serve as an associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court.

State Sen. Robert Singer (R-Lakewood) announced today that he will support Michael Noriega’s nomination, becoming the seventh senator – four Democrats and three Republicans – to say they’ll confirm Noriega.

That puts Noriega one-third of the way to the 21 votes he needs for confirmation if he reaches the Senate floor, according to a New Jersey Globe tally of state senators based on public and private comments.

“Michael has earned the respect of his peers throughout his legal career, where he has been a prominent criminal defense attorney at both the trial and appellate levels,” said Singer.  “I am also glad that our State’s highest court will once again have representation in the Hispanic community, which makes up 22 percent of our State.”

Singer was the lone Republican to vote to confirm Justice Rachel Wainer Apter, a former law clerk to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, last year.   He was also the first senator of either party to endorse her nomination.  Murphy’s other two top court nominees, Democrat Fabiana Pierre-Louis and Republican Douglas Fasciale were confirmed unanimously.