Today, the Richard Codey era begins in New Jersey. As disgraced Governor James Mc-Greevey exits stage left, the president of the state Senate takes over for the remainder of the term. This gives Mr. Codey, an understated, three-decade veteran of Trenton, control over both the executive and legislative branches of New Jersey government for more than a year, making him, on paper at least, the most powerful statewide figure in American politics since Louisiana’s legendary Huey P. Long – the Kingfish.

Call Mr. Codey the Swampfish, because he’ll have to navigate the muddy waters of New Jersey’s politics during the next 14 months, deciding whether to go with the flow in a unprecedented pork-barrel feast, or whether he’ll swim upstream against the corrupt current, using his power to achieve much-needed reforms.

It’s appropriate that the first official meeting of the Swampfish’s term will be held this morning at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital. The state seems on the verge of a collective breakdown: It’s schizophrenic, with bucolic suburbs like Basking Ridge nestled near the mean streets of cities like Newark; the chronic thug and con game of the local government is evidence of deep dysfunction; and Governor McGreevey’s tortured admission of a gay scandal has redefined midlife crisis. The state is in need of some healing and perhaps a strong dose of lithium.

New Jersey is also in political flux. President Bush made great gains in the Garden State. In part, this was a backlash reaction to Mr. Mc-Greevey’s announcement – which couldn’t have been scripted better by the Republican National Committee – but on top of the forced resignation of Senator Torricelli, it was another sign of the corruption and chaos lurking behind the state Democratic Party. As a result, the home state of Kerry campaigners Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi appears to be trending Republican.

How can a Democrat who emerges from the swamp of the state legislature improve this situation? We’re about to find out. The key will be Mr. Codey’s consolidation of power. Unlike most governors, he won’t have to worry about his agenda being overridden by the state legislature. But Mr. Codey’s biography does not indicate a taste for bold ambition.

He grew up above his family’s funeral home in Orange and remains a licensed undertaker, as well as owner of a small insurance business. He lives with his two children and wife of 23 years in an Essex County suburban home and coaches his son’s high school basketball team. He’s a lifelong teetotaler. The Star Ledger reports that he likes Dunkin’ Donuts, and aides say he avoids fancy restaurants. Mr. Codey has a good reputation as a straight shooter on both sides of the aisle in the state Senate, but he is largely unknown outside his district. Now this mild-mannered guy is being given the keys to the kingdom.

Amid pressing concerns over homeland security and a $4 billion budget deficit, Codey has his plate full. New Jersey voters are always driven by complaints over car insurance and property taxes, and the state’s transportation fund is set to dry up in 2006 – a situation Mr. Codey has said will be among his first priorities as governor and may include raising gas taxes. He also intends to follow the lead of Governor Schwarzenegger in asking voters to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in new funding for stem cell research.

And then there is the reform agenda. In his contrite final months in office, Mr. McGreevy belatedly signed an executive order to restrict campaign donations by government contractors. The measure still has not been supported by the Democratic-controlled State Assembly, but now with Mr. Codey in charge there is increased likelihood that this reform will be made permanent and perhaps even expanded to include local government. This will make Tony Soprano-like strong-arming more difficult and help clean up Garden State politics from the muddied grass roots.

Throughout the tristate area, the winds of political reform have been briskly blowing. Both New Jersey and Connecticut’s governors have resigned in recent months. New York State has seen elections driven by voter frustration with Albany’s stale status quo. Now Mr. Codey will have the power to almost single-handedly enact a reform agenda in New Jersey. He should capitalize on this. Unlike New Jersey’s most recent acting governor, Republican Donald DiFranceso, Mr. Codey is unencumbered by past ethics investigations or the looming specter of lame-duck status. Mr. Codey has decidedly left the door open to running for election in his own right next fall. If he chooses to run, he will likely face a bruising but winnable primary fight with Senator Corzine. Mr. Codey is unlikely to win that or any other battles on the basis of charisma – but if he aggressively embraces reform and wriggles through bureaucratic roadblocks, the Swampfish can effectively set the pace for the region’s other, often sluggish, executive and legislative leaders.