The 2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey was held on October 16, 2013 to fill the New Jersey United States Senate Class 2 seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2015. The vacancy resulted from the death of five-term Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg on June 3, 2013. In the interim, the seat was held by Republican Senator Jeffrey Chiesa, who was appointed on June 6, 2013 by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to serve until the elected winner was sworn in. At the time of his appointment, Chiesa, then New Jersey's Attorney General, announced that he would not be a candidate in the special election.