New Jersey Gov. Murphy to Name George Helmy to Succeed Menendez in Senate

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will nominate his former top aide, George Helmy, as the state’s next U.S. senator, according to to CNN reports and other points of sale.

Helmy will replace longtime Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who is resigning at the end of this month after being convicted of federal bribery. Helmy will serve out Menendez’s term through January.

Murphy’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday’s reporting.

Menendez announced in July that he would step down after a flurry of colleagues in the Democratic-controlled Senate called for his resignation and initiated a review process that could have led to his expulsion. It came just days after the senator was convicted of acting as a foreign agent and selling the powers of his office in exchange for gifts such as cash, gold bars and a Mercedes.

After his conviction, Menendez maintained his innocence and announced he would appeal.

Helmy, currently an executive vice president at RWJBarnabas Health, served as Murphy’s chief of staff from 2019 to 2023, overseeing the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Before working for Murphy, Helmy worked for two Democratic senators from New Jersey — serving on both U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and the slow U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Booker, who was in Philadelphia on Thursday for a campaign event, said he was “thrilled with the selection,” noting Helmy’s experience in both New Jersey and Washington.

“If you want someone to come in for about 100 days and know the office inside and out, know the priorities of New Jersey inside and out, there’s no one better than George Helmy, hands down,” Booker said.

“He knows what it’s like to run a Senate office, and then he was the governor’s chief of staff. So you can talk about someone who knows Jersey’s priorities.”

Helmy will serve as acting caretaker until a successor is chosen in the November general election, and that person will take office in January. U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, a three-term Democrat who represents parts of South Jersey, will face Republican Curtis Bashaw, a developer from Cape May County.

Menendez has also filed to run as an independent. Polls show he is unlikely to win, but some Democrats worry that his presence on the ballot could make the race between Kim and Bashaw unexpectedly close.

Murphy reportedly considered a handful of Democrats to fill the vacancy. Some suggested Murphy should choose Kim and give the Democrat the benefit of running as an incumbent in November. Kim is currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans have a slim majority.

Some party insiders have also suggested that Murphy’s wife, Tammy Murphy, could fill the position — she ran for the seat in the Democratic primary but dropped out. However, Tammy Murphy issued a statement shortly after Menendez’s resignation saying she would not consider the nomination.