Gold Star Mother appears headed for N.J. State Assembly

Camden County Commissioner Melinda Kane, a Gold Star Mother, is the likely choice of Camden County Democrats for the open 6th district seat in the State Assembly when they hold a special election convention on Saturday to replace Pamela Lampitt.

Lampitt resigned from the Assembly last week to become the new Camden County Clerk.

Kane’s son, Marine Lance Corporal Jeremy Kane, was killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan in 2010 while in the Bravo Company, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. as part of Operating Enduring Freedom.

She is a former teacher and Cherry Hill councilwoman who won a special election convention to fill a Camden County freeholder seat in 2019.  She replaced Bill Moen (D-Bellmawr), who left to run for the State Assembly.

Kane would likely take office this month, setting up a second special election convention to fill her county commissioner seat.  Several candidates are under consideration, and there is no clear favorite.

So far, no Democrat has emerged to challenge Kane on Saturday.

She is expected to seek a full term in the 6th district on a ticket with Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Voorhees) in the June Democratic primary.  They will face Rebecca Holloway and newcomer Kevin Ryan, who will share a ballot slogan with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City.

Lampitt was elected county clerk in November 2024 following the retirement of Joseph Ripa.  She served nineteen years in the State Assembly and was chairing the Assembly Education Committee at the time of her resignation.