In an attempt to please conflicting interests, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is making his appointment of George Helmy to the U.S. Senate even more temporary than it was in the first place.
Murphy announced on Friday that he was appointing his former chief of staff to the seat being vacated by Sen. Bob Menendez, who was convicted of wide-ranging federal corruption charges last month. But instead of serving until the new Congress is inaugurated in January, Helmy will only serve until after the November general election.
The move addresses concerns raised by those in the Democratic Party who wanted Rep. Andy Kim, the nominee running for the seat, to be appointed early — which would give Kim seniority over the incoming class of senators who arrive in January. If Kim wins against Republican Curtis Bashaw in November, he would get that leg up over his fellow new senators but would not have the incumbency advantage that an immediate appointment would bring for the election.
At his formal announcement on Friday, Murphy said Helmy’s experience working as a staff member for New Jersey Democratic Sens. Cory Booker and Frank Lautenberg gives him the kind of experience that will help what’s currently Menendez’s Senate office.
“George understands on a very fundamental level how a U.S. Senate office operates, and he will be ready to run this office from moment one,” the governor said. “And he will bring to this office firsthand expertise in providing the best possible constituent service to our state’s families.”
Menendez’s resignation is effective Aug. 20, and Helmy will be sworn in on Sept. 9. The child of immigrants from Egypt, he will become the only current U.S. senator who is Arab American.
Helmy served as chief of staff for Murphy from 2019 until 2023, and the two men are very close. Helmy left Murphy’s administration last year to take an executive position with RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group, a major employer in New Jersey.
It remains to be seen whether Murphy will be able to work the Senate seniority system as planned. The Office of the Senate Parliamentarian told Gothamist seniority decisions are up to the political parties.
“Given the history, it’s completely appropriate to proceed the way Murphy has,” said Carl Tobias, a professor of law at the University of Richmond. “The state is entitled to have their senator represent them after the election.”
Tobias added that the lame-duck session that begins after the November election could be a critical time to push through judicial nominations, which is what Republicans did after the Trump loss in 2020.
Helmy said he has no interest in running for elected office and has agreed to step down in November. At his appointment announcement, he said his work to provide constituent services, which he undertook early in his career, remained his proudest accomplishment. He also spoke fondly of his time attending numerous public events without ever appearing on the stage.
“Therein lies the core of what it means to be a staffer,” he said. “Getting the job done is what matters. The service is what matters. It’s not you in the press release. It’s not your name at the building. And frankly, it should not be you at the podium.”
With a little hitch in his voice, Helmy then mentioned the staffers who worked for Menendez and have been hurt by the criminal conviction of their outgoing boss.
“They help the people of New Jersey navigate the federal government and to them I say ‘thank you,’” said Helmy.
Menendez was convicted a month ago of 16 charges of bribery, acting as a foreign agent and obstruction of justice.