By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
State Sen. Donald DiFrancesco, who was the state Senate president in 2001, had an inkling that he would be elevated to become governor after George W. Bush won the White House in 2000, because Gov. Christine Todd Whitman was angling for a Cabinet appointment.
But state Sen. Richard J. Codey, who was the state Senate president in 2004, had no idea that he would become governor. Gov. James McGreevey seemed secure in his office — until a political scandal erupted over the governor’s relationship with another man, leading to his resignation.
The two accidental governors offered insights into what it was like to serve unexpectedly in the top elected office in New Jersey, before an audience of about 60 people at Rider University recently. The event was sponsored by the college’s Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.
Mr. DiFrancesco, who is a Republican, served as governor from Jan. 31, 2001 to Jan. 8, 2002, and then left office. Mr. Codey, who is a Democrat, served as governor from Nov. 15, 2004 to Jan. 17, 2006. He is still serving in the state Senate.
Both men agreed that being catapulted into the most powerful governor’s office in the nation was a life-changing event — even though they had assumed the reins as acting governor for short stints while the incumbent governor was ill or absent. The New Jersey Constitution called for the Senate president to serve as acting governor, when necessary, until the position of lieutenant governor was created in 2005.
Mr. DiFrancesco recalled the day that Gov. Whitman called him into her office. She was preparing to tell him that she was resigning to take the top post at the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection — but her decision was “all over the news” before she even spoke to him, he said.
State lawmakers expected that after Mr. Bush was elected the winner of the presidential election that Gov. Whitman would try to be named to the Cabinet, so “we were prepared a little bit for it,” Mr. DiFrancesco said.
”Is it surreal (to be named governor)? In the beginning, it kind of is surreal. From the perspective of being governor, the press is all over you all the time. As Senate president, you can hide (from the press),” Mr. DiFrancesco said. The governor does not have that luxury.
Nevertheless, Mr. DiFrancesco said he enjoyed his stint as governor.
”You’re on your toes all the time. It’s a great honor and I really enjoyed it. I have to say, (being governor) was the experience of my life,” he said.
Mr. Codey also recalled the day that he learned he was being elevated to the top elective spot in New Jersey — without having been elected to it. He was contacted by a reporter, who asked if he had heard the news that Gov. McGreevey was resigning. He said he had not heard “that rumor.”
But the next day, he walked into his office and it was as if “all hell broke loose.” State Sen. Ray Lesniak called him to tell him that Gov. McGreevey was resigning. He had just hung up the phone when Gov. McGreevey called him to tell him of the pending resignation.
”I knew that day, my life would change and it wouldn’t be the same. It hasn’t been the same. It’s something you have to grasp and understand,” Mr. Codey said.
As soon as the news broke that Gov. McGreevey had resigned and Mr. Codey was going to replace him, TV cameras, news trucks and reporters showed up outside his home. There was a caravan of press following him, he said, which “shows you in a vivid way, how my life had changed.”
Mr. Codey said he also had to deal with calls from reporters who were prying into his professional life, asking the state Department of Banking and Insurance about possible violations involving his insurance agency. Mr. Codey, who is an insurance broker, said he never received that level of attention when he was state Senate president.
The two governors also observed that people want to feel that they are connected to the governor. Mr. Codey said he allowed a reporter to live with his family and to report on a day in the life of the governor — a decision that he said was “one of the best decisions I ever made.”
”Dick is right, when you are out there, people want to know the governor. You want to be the friendliest person around. They want to hear from you. If you don’t (do that), it’s a big mistake,” Mr. DiFrancesco said.
Mr. Codey said he would call residents at random, along with a handful of legislators, from time to time. He would ask the residents if there was something that he could do for them. They liked hearing from the governor, he said, because no governor had ever called them at home.
Asked about the advice they would offer to young people who are considering a career in politics, Mr. Codey jumped right in and said, “Don’t count on government as the basis of your income.” He also pointed out that there are too many “power brokers” who try to tell an elected official what to do.
”Do what you think is right,” Mr. Codey said.
Mr. DiFrancesco said he advises young people that they can become involved in politics without running for office. They can work on a politician’s staff, he said, pointing out that “you can have an impact without running for office.”
Elected politics “is not for everyone,” he said, noting that “it is even uglier now.” With social media thrown into the mix, “you have to have a thick skin” to endure the criticism and prying that goes along with being in public life, he said.
And asked about the most pressing challenges facing New Jersey, the two former governors agreed that the impact of Hurricane Sandy is key. Mr. Codey said the ramifications of the hurricane are “going to stay with us” and it’s going to be “very tough.”
Mr. DiFrancesco said that before Hurricane Sandy struck, the jobless rate was high and state revenue was off. But now, the focus has to be on rebuilding New Jersey — along the coastline and inland, he said.

