New York, NY —

New Jersey's new state Senate President, Steve Sweeney, has already scored another promotion.

It's been a meteoric rise. This week Sweeney, a former iron worker, is pulling double duty as Senate president and acting governor. Not long after Gov. Jon Corzine delivered his last State of the State speech, he flew to Switzerland. In the interim, Acting Governor Sweeney has been busy signing several bills while reorganizing the Senate Committee structure, and rolling out the new committee chairs.

Corzine's expected to return sometime this weekend in time to sign close to 100 pending bills and for the inauguration next Tuesday, when Republican Chris Christie is sworn in as governor. Thanks to a change in the law, from then on, anytime Christie leaves the state, Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno will take the reigns of power.