George Helmy will depart Senate on December 8

U.S. Senator George Helmy, a caretaker appointee whose days in the Senate were numbered from the moment he was sworn in, will step down on Sunday, December 8, with Senator-elect Andy Kim slated to take his place the following day.

“It is with a profound sense of gratitude and emotion that I announce my resignation as U.S. Senator for New Jersey,” Helmy said today. “It has been the honor of a lifetime representing the people of New Jersey in the Senate and I am eternally grateful to Governor [Phil] Murphy for entrusting me with this responsibility.”

Helmy, who spent years as a top staffer to Murphy and to fellow Senator Cory Booker, was appointed to the Senate in August after former Senator Bob Menendez was convicted on corruption charges and resigned. Upon being sworn in on September 9, Helmy made history as the Senate’s first Coptic Christian member, and he was the only Arab American in the body throughout his tenure.

At the time of his appointment, both Helmy and Murphy made it clear that Helmy would only serve until the results of the regularly scheduled Senate election between Kim, a three-term congressman, and Republican hotel developer Curtis Bashaw were certified. Murphy said that he didn’t want to trample on a Senate election before voters could weigh in – hence why he didn’t simply name Kim to the seat – but now that the election is over, there’s no reason not to let the 42-year-old Kim take office early and get a head start in the Senate. (Murphy will have to formally appoint Kim once Helmy has resigned.) 

Helmy and Kim spent a short period at the beginning of this year as political rivals, since Kim’s top opponent for the Democratic Senate nomination was First Lady Tammy Murphy, who like Helmy is a member of Governor Murphy’s inner circle. But the two now have a good relationship; Helmy said today that he has nothing but respect for Kim, and that his interim Senate office has been in close contact with the congressman to make sure the transition is a smooth one.

“The voters of New Jersey made the right decision in November to elect Andy Kim to serve as their United States Senator,” Helmy said. “Having known him for nearly a decade now, I can attest to Senator Kim’s great dedication, character, and empathy towards the people of New Jersey… Andy and I have worked closely since his being elected to ensure a seamless transition and I have made myself readily available over the coming weeks to support this process.”

“Senator Helmy has stepped up to serve New Jersey numerous times in his career, and we are grateful for his willingness to do so yet again in a time of need,” Kim said. “His tenure in the Senate was one of dedication and stability. He served the people of New Jersey well and drew attention to critical issues like the youth mental health crisis, an issue I plan to continue to focus on. I thank Senator Helmy for his friendship and service.”

As someone who will have only served for 90 days (the eleventh-shortest tenure in Senate history) in a chamber famous for prioritizing seniority above all else, Helmy’s concrete legislative accomplishments are sparse, something which the senator himself will admit. Even senators who serve for years or decades sometimes come away with little prominent legislation that bears their name.

But Helmy dedicated his brief time in office to a few key issues, most notably youth mental health and the war in Gaza, on which he could work behind-the-scenes and make an impact. His presence in the Senate also gave New Jersey a fully engaged Senate delegation after nearly a year of languishing under Menendez, whose corruption trial forced him to take a huge step back from his duties; having two dedicated senators was critical during the ongoing FY2025 appropriations process, where New Jersey has to compete with 49 other states for federal resources and attention.

And just by virtue of being a senator at all, Helmy became a more prominent national figure, stumping for Kamala Harris in Michigan the weekend before the presidential election. He’ll also retain Senate floor privileges as a former senator, and has made connections with politicians from outside New Jersey who likely would never have heard of him had it not been for his three-month Senate experience.

Helmy’s resignation announcement pointed to the 30 bills the senator introduced or co-sponsored, including five resolutions that passed the Senate; the three Senate committees he served on; the 20 federal judicial nominees (and counting) he voted to confirm; and the 117 constituent cases his office closed.

“Looking back on my now 85 days and counting in this office, I am proud of the work my team and I have been able to accomplish,” Helmy said. “From the introduction and co-sponsorship of several bills to advance youth mental health in our country to speaking up for humanitarian aid to civilians in the Middle East to working with my fellow Senators on both sides of the aisle to do big things for our constituents, I will look back on this time with great affection.”