Murphy planning to appoint former chief of staff George Helmy to Menendez’s Senate seat

Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) will appoint his former chief of staff, George Helmy, to New Jersey’s vacant Senate seat after Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) resigned following his conviction in a corruption case.

Menendez will officially resign on Aug. 20. Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), who is running for Menendez’s Senate seat for the full term, was not considered for the position, according to the New Jersey Globe.

Helmy was the most powerful non-elected official in New Jersey politics while serving as Murphy’s chief of staff for nearly five years, the outlet reported. He also served as deputy chief of staff and state director for Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and as an aide to Booker’s predecessor, Frank Lautenberg.

Helmy may have a short stint in the Senate. Murphy, according to the outlet, will appoint whoever wins November’s Senate election to the position. In effect, that will give whoever wins an extra few months tacked on to their six-year term.

Others considered by Murphy included Lieutenant Gov. Tahesha Way, former Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas, Democratic State Committee Vice Chairwoman Marguerite Schaffer, and Amy Kennedy, a mental health advocate and public school teacher.

Helmy will take office on Sept. 9, when the Senate returns from recess.

Many expected Murphy to appoint Kim as a political advantage for the House Democrat, giving him a few months to familiarize New Jersey voters across the state with his name. But he declined to do so, instead offering a de-facto extension of himself to serve as a lame-duck senator for a few months.

Kim is running against Republican nominee Curtis Bashaw in what’s expected to be a closer Senate race than in recent years. The two recently agreed to debate three times this October.