in another shocking turn of political events New Jersey's longest serving lawmaker today announced he's retiring state Senator Dick Cody said in a statement posted to his Facebook page he's dropping his re-election bid and will retire at the end of his term in January after serving for 50 years in Trenton Cody stepped in to serve as governor from 2004 to 05 following the resignation of former Governor Jim mcgreevey having also served as Senate President and Senate minority leader he was just 26 years old when he won his first term in 1973 as a state assemblyman and he just recently won his primary race against another incumbent in the bid for his senate seat so why is he leaving well because it's time to go according to Cody who says after half a century it's time to step aside and watch the Next Generation do their thing [Music] [Music]