Richard Hughes

The last time a new Governor came from the same party as his predecessor was in 1961, when Democrat Richard Hughes followed eight years of Democrat Robert Meyner. Hughes kept ten of the fourteen members of Meyner's cabinet, replacing only the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the President of the Board of Public Utilities, and the Commissioner of Conservation and Economic Development. Democrats say that Jon Corzine is not likely to come close to the 71% retention mark set by Hughes, although there may be some holdovers -- one likely prospect is Personnel Commissioner Rolando Torres.

CORZINE TAPS LEONE FOR TRANSITION
Former Port Authority Chairman served Governors Byrne, Hughes, Kean, and Florio

NEW BRUNSWICK - Governor-elect Jon S. Corzine today tapped former State Treasurer and Port Authority Chairman Richard C. Leone to chair his transition team. Leone is reprising a similar role he served under former Governor Brendan Byrne.

As transition chair, Leone will assist Corzine in establishing an operational infrastructure for his administration and will advise Corzine on candidates for cabinet-level positions. Additionally, Leone and his staff will be of counsel to Corzine on a variety of policy issues - converting Corzine's strategic policy vision into a cohesive tactical agenda for implementing key planks of his Affordability Agenda.

Newly-elected Governors of New Jersey historically enter office with an increased number of seats for their political party in the State Assembly. Under the current State Constitution, 1993 was the only year when the party of a new Governor (Christine Todd Whitman) lost seats (five) in the Assembly. Democrats picked up nine seats in 2001, when James E. McGreevey won election, and five seats in 1989 when James Florio won. The GOP gained one seat in 1981 when Tom Kean was elected, Democrats added 26 seats in the 1973 election won by Brendan Byrne, and when William Cahill was elected in 1969, the Republicans gained one seat. Democrats picked up four seats with Richard Hughes' 1961 victory and three seats with the 1953 election of Robert Meyner. When Republican Alfred Driscoll was elected Governor in 1946, his party gained six seats.