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New Jersey interim Senator George Helmy, who was appointed to the seat following the resignation of Senator Bob Menendez due to a federal corruption conviction, is set to resign this weekend. This move will pave the way for Senator-elect Andy Kim to be sworn in early. Helmy's resignation, which was confirmed by both Helmy and Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, was expected as part of the arrangement announced during his appointment this summer. The aim was to allow the winner of November's election to transition smoothly into office before the start of the new session of Congress next month.
Helmy, a former chief of staff to Governor Murphy, was the only Arab-American in the 118th Congress. During his short tenure, he voted to confirm 20 judicial nominations and resolved more than 100 constituent cases. According to the Associated Press, Helmy has been working closely with Kim since his election in November to ensure a seamless transition.
Kim, who defeated Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw on Election Day, will become the first Korean-American in the Senate when he is sworn in on Monday. He has expressed his intention to continue focusing on the youth mental health crisis, an issue that Helmy had embraced during his tenure. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Kim's early swearing-in will give him more seniority than the 10 other incoming freshman senators, although it is unclear whether this will affect his committee assignments.