A new political era is about to begin in New Jersey.

Chris J. Christie will be sworn in as New Jersey’s 55th governor at noon on Tuesday.

He succeeds Gov. Jon Corzine, and becomes the first Republican to hold the post in eight years.

Kim Guadagno becomes the state’s first lieutenant governor.

The swearing-in takes place at the Trenton War Memorial. Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner will do the honors.

Christie will then give an inaugural address.

The full day of activities is set against a backdrop of tough economic times for the Garden State. Christie has said all along that the need to get the state’s financial house in order is priority number one.

Meanwhile, Gov. Jon Corzine spent his last few hours in office granting clemency to 14 people.

Corzine agreed to parole a man convicted of a 1985 murder of a suspected drug dealer that some legal experts believe he did not commit.

In partially commuting Quincy Spruell’s sentence, Corzine agreed to release the 43-year-old more than five years ahead of his 30-year sentence.

Corzine said he took the action because there are serious doubts about the conviction.

(Source: WCBSTV)