2 0 0 2 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁Senator ▁Ba er ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Senate ▁effective ▁September ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁due ▁to ▁health ▁reasons . ▁In ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Act ing ▁Governor ▁of ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Richard ▁Code y , ▁Ba er ▁stated ▁that ▁" I ▁officially ▁tender ▁my ▁res ignation ▁as ▁State ▁Senator , ▁representing ▁District ▁ 3 7 ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Legisl ature , ▁effective ▁today , ▁September ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁at ▁ 1 1 : 5 9 ▁p . m ." ▁On ▁E lection ▁Day ▁on ▁November ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁vot ers ▁chose ▁Lor etta ▁Wein berg ▁to ▁serve ▁the ▁remaining ▁portion ▁of ▁Ba er ' s ▁four - year ▁term ▁of ▁office , ▁which ▁ended ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁Su cc ession ▁in ▁Senate ▁After ▁Ba er ' s ▁res ignation , ▁Assembly w oman ▁Lor etta ▁Wein berg ▁of ▁Te ane ck ▁and ▁H ack ens ack ▁Police ▁Chief ▁Ken ▁Z isa ▁faced ▁off ▁in ▁ball oting ▁by ▁the ▁Ber gen ▁County ▁Democratic ▁Committee ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 5 . ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁to ▁fill ▁Ba er ' s ▁seat ▁on ▁an ▁inter im ▁basis ▁and ▁to ▁fill ▁his ▁ball ot ▁spot ▁for ▁the ▁November ▁General ▁E lection . ▁ ▁Z isa ▁out pol led ▁Wein berg ▁at ▁the ▁September ▁ 1 5 ▁c au