Former New Jersey Gov. Murphy Chief of Staff to Replace Menendez, But Only Until November Elections

NEWARK, N.J. — Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday named his former chief of staff as his interim successor. convicted US Senator Bob Menendez and said he would determine the winner of the November election as soon as the election results are certified.

Democratic Rep. Andy Kim and Republican hotelier Curtis Bashaw are competing in the race. Murphy said he has spoken to both about his plans.

“I expressed to them that this approach would allow the democratically elected winner of this year’s election to have the shortest possible transition to office so that they can provide the best representation possible to the people of New Jersey,” Murphy said at a news conference outside his office.

Former chief of staff George Helmy promised Friday that he would resign after the election.

Helmy’s nomination underscored Murphy’s decision not to nominate Kim, who is in a powerful position to win the November election. Kim and first lady Tammy Murphy were locked in a race for the Senate seat earlier this year before Tammy Murphy withdrew, citing the prospects of a negative, divisive campaign.

“A lot of people in the press — and I’m not accusing anyone of this — would suggest that there was some drama between me and Andy Kim in high school, which is simply not true,” Murphy said.

The stakes are high in the Senate race, with Democrats holding on to a narrow majority. Republicans haven’t won a Senate election in Democratic-leaning New Jersey in more than five decades.

Helmy’s appointment will not take effect until Menendez resigns on Aug. 20. The governor said he chose Helmy because he understands the role after serving as an aide to New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and former New Jersey U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Murphy also praised Helmy for his work as his primary assistant. After Helmy’s speech, the two briefly hugged.

“Here in New Jersey, we don’t reward leaders when they violate the public trust,” Murphy said, referring to Menendez, who was convicted last month on charges of selling the power of his office to three New Jersey businessmen who sought favors. “We replace them with public servants who are worthy of high office.”

Helmy, 44, served as Murphy’s chief of staff from 2019 to 2023 and currently serves as an executive at one of the state’s largest health care providers, RWJBarnabas Health. He previously served as Booker’s state Senate director. The son of Egyptian parents who immigrated to New Jersey, Helmy attended New Jersey public schools and then Rutgers University.

Helmy said he has never run for elected office and never will, and intends to focus on serving the community during his brief term in the Senate.

“New Jersey deserves a full voice and representation in the full United States Senate,” he said.

Menendez, 70, used his influence to insert himself into three separate state and federal criminal investigations to protect businessmen, prosecutors said. They said he helped one friend pay bribes to get a multimillion-dollar deal with a Qatari investment fund and helped another keep a contract to provide religious certificates for meat bound for Egypt.

He was also convicted of taking actions that benefited the Egyptian government in exchange for bribes, including providing personal information about U.S. Embassy personnel in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter to other senators to lift a freeze on military aid to Egypt. FBI agents found stacks of gold bars and $480,000 hidden in Menendez’s home.

Menendez has denied all accusations.

“I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country,” he said after his conviction. “I have never, ever been a foreign agent.”

Menendez said in letter to Murphy last month that he plans to appeal the verdict but will resign from office on August 20, a little more than a month after the jury’s verdict is announced.

On Friday, the state’s top elections office released an undated letter showing that Menendez had dropped his independent bid for the Senate seat, adding that he intended to continue campaigning if he were acquitted by a court.

Many other Democrats have urged Menendez to resign, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Murphy has urged the Senate to expel Menendez if he does not resign. Only 15 senators have ever been expelled. Senator William Blount of Tennessee was expelled in 1797 for treason. The other 14 were expelled in 1861 and 1862 for supporting the Confederates during the Civil War.

According to the governor’s office, Election Day is November 5. Certification of results is scheduled for November 27.