NJ governor intends to appoint his former chief of staff to replace Menendez in Senate | CNN Politics

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy intends to appoint George Helmy, his former chief of staff, to the US Senate, a source familiar with the decision told CNN.

Helmy will replace Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who is stepping down later this month after being convicted on federal corruption charges. An official announcement is expected for later this week. Reached by CNN, Helmy said there had been “no formal call yet.”

A longtime aide and confidant to the Democratic governor, Helmy has been working as the chief external affairs and policy officer for RWJBarnabas Health, the state’s largest health care system.

Helmy, who is Arab American, will serve out the remainder of Menendez’s term, which ends at the beginning of next year. New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim is the Democratic nominee for the seat in the state’s 2024 election. He is the heavy favorite in a race against Republican Curtis Bashaw, a hotel developer.

The race for the Senate seat started out as a contentious one, with Kim early on facing a primary challenge from the governor’s wife, Tammy Murphy. But in the face of mounting nepotism charges and a grassroots progressive backlash, the New Jersey first lady dropped out of the race in March — creating a glide path for Kim to the nomination in a state that last elected a Republican to the chamber in 1972.

Menendez — after prosecutors alleged the senator tried to use his power to advance Egyptian military interests, interfere in criminal prosecutions and secure investment from Qatari officials, among other things — had faced mounting pressure beginning last year from within his own party to resign or face the threat of expulsion from the Senate.

But those calls reached a fever pitch in July, when the senator was convicted of 16 counts — including bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent — for his role in the yearslong bribery scheme.

Menendez, who has maintained he never violated his public oath, faces sentencing on October 29.

He had previously filed to run for reelection as an independent. Menendez did not say when he announced he’d be stepping down whether he still intends to run as an independent. His resignation is effective August 20.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Jack Forrest, Laura Dolan, Lauren Fox and Clare Foran contributed to this report.