 In 1997, when William Weld resigned to pursue the ambassadorship to Mexico, Paul Cellucci took over as acting governor until after his 1998 election as governor, when he assumed office in January 1999.In 2001, when Cellucci resigned to become United States Ambassador to Canada, Jane Swift became the acting governor until January 2003, when Cellucci's term ended with the inauguration of Mitt Romney.In New Jersey, a state which has a lieutenant governor, in the event of a vacancy in the office of governor, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.