[citation needed] On June 4, 2013, Christie appointed Republican Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa to fill the Senate vacancy, making him the first (federal) Republican Senator from the state since Nicholas F. Brady in 1982, who, ironically got succeeded by Lautenberg;[7] Chiesa announced that he would not run in the special election.

[8] On June 13, 2013, the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court unanimously rejected the Democrats' challenge, which was brought by Somerset County Democratic chairwoman Marguerite M. Schaffer, to force Christie to change the special election date in October to the general election on November 5.

Another bill, A4249, allowing eligible voters who cast ballots on October 16 for senator to also vote early for the November general election, finally passed both legislative houses on June 27.

[14] The Christie administration looked into contingency plan options for additional state workers, transportation resources, voting machines and associated hardware, and skilled voting machine technicians in order to avoid any potential conflicts due to the short time span of 20 days between the special election and the general election.

New Jersey state law requires voting machines to be locked down for 15 days after an election, in case a defeated candidate seeks a recount.

[65] However, he was scrutinized regarding "his personal finances and the terms of his departure from law firm Trenk DiPasquale; the viability of his video startup, Waywire, and the investors behind it; and his behavior on Twitter, including messages to an Oregon stripper".