State Senator Bob Gordon (D-38) is going to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU).

Bergen sources had speculated for some time on this eventuality and today a source confirmed it.

It’s happening.

The departure of the battleground district senator sets up the most likely potential for Assemblyman Joe Lagana (D-38) and Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-38) to challenge for it.

“Bergen and the state of New Jersey is losing one of its premiere legislators in Bergen County,” said Bergen County Democratic Committee Chairman Lou Stellato. “We served together as mayors. The things he’s done with transportation have made a bench mark that will last a long time,”

A source told InsiderNJ that sometime in the next 48-72 hours, Stellato, Lagana and Eustace will sit down, talk, and the next senator will emerge from that meeting.

A former mayor of Fair Lawn, Gordon first ensnared an assembly seat in 2003. Following the corruption crack-up of Senator Joe Coniglio, Gordon grabbed the senate seat in 2008.

He weathered a particularly tough reelection campaign in 2013, when Gov. Chris Christie was at his political apex. Gordon defeated challenger Fernando Alonso by about 2,000 votes.