The clock is ticking for Gov. Phil Murphy to make a decision about who will be the interim replacement for Sen. Bob Menendez on Capitol Hill.

Those who follow New Jersey politics are suggesting it will be someone Murphy trusts, and likely not anyone campaigning for the senator's seat in November.

Sen. Bob Menendez has said he will avoid being expelled and resign from his position as U.S. senator on Aug. 20.

The decision was revealed one week after being convicted of taking bribes of cash, gold and a car.

That leaves Gov. Murphy in a position to appoint a temporary replacement.

Will it be Rep. Andy Kim, who is running as the Democrat in November to take that Senate seat?

That would be the easy answer, but some say no, because it removes Kim from his own vote in the House.

Matt Hale, a political analyst from Seton Hall, sees another reason.

“Appointing Kim right before the election seems like it would be an inside job and I think that’s something both Kim and Murphy really want to stay away from," says Hale.

Rep. Kim has said that if he was asked by the governor, he would accept the appointment.

Who are Hale’s favorites?

“The outside shot, Matt Platkin the attorney general. He’s a pretty powerful guy right now as attorney general not sure he wants to do it for a little bit," he says.

Hale also suggested Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way.

“She’d be the first African American and first woman as a senator. Loretta Weinberg, that’s another out-of-the-box one. She’s retired but active on social media.”

If Murphy goes the direction of a sitting Congress member, Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for politics has a possible name.

“Bonnie Watson Coleman currently in Congress said that she would be open to that and that indicates that maybe she’s thinking of leaving the house sooner than later," says Rasmussen.

In 2013, Gov. Christie found himself having to fill the seat of Sen. Frank Lautenberg upon his death.

He chose Jeff Chiesa who was the state attorney general.

Chiesa did not run for election to that seat.

Expect Gov. Murphy to speak on this topic on Thursday at 4 p.m. during “Ask Gov. Murphy” on News 12 New Jersey.