George Helmy | |
|---|---|
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| United States Senator fromNew Jersey | |
| In office August 23, 2024 – December 8, 2024 | |
| Appointed by | Phil Murphy |
| Preceded by | Bob Menendez |
| Succeeded by | Andy Kim |
| Chief of Staff to theGovernor of New Jersey | |
| In office February 4, 2019 – September 30, 2023 | |
| Governor | Phil Murphy |
| Preceded by | Kathleen Frangione (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1979-10-27)October 27, 1979 (age 45) Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (2018, 2024–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
|
| Spouse | Caroline Helmy[1] |
| Children | 2[1] |
| Education | Rutgers University–Newark (BA) Harvard University (ALM) |
George Samir Helmy (born October 27, 1979)[2][3] is an American politician who served as aUnited States senator fromNew Jersey from August to December 2024. A member of theDemocratic Party, he was appointed by governorPhil Murphy after SenatorBob Menendez resigned. He served as Murphy's chief of staff from 2019 to 2023.[4] Helmy is the firstCoptic American U.S. senator.[5] As of 2025, Helmy serves on theRutgers University Board of Governors.[6]
Helmy was born inJersey City, New Jersey,[7] to two Egyptian-born immigrants,[8][7] and grew up inGlen Ridge, New Jersey.[7] He played on the basketball and football teams atGlen Ridge High School.[9] He received a bachelor's degree in psychology fromRutgers University–Newark and a master's degree in finance and management fromHarvard University'sExtension School.[10] Helmy isEgyptian American.[11][12]
Helmy worked forUPS as a business operations manager from 2001 to 2013, and as staff assistant and constituent advocate for SenatorFrank Lautenberg from 2012 to 2013.[11] He then served as deputy and later state director for SenatorCory Booker before being hired as GovernorPhil Murphy's chief of staff in January 2019.[13] He resigned in October 2021 to joinMurphy's reelection campaign[14] before returning to the role 18 days later, after the election.[15] Helmy left the governor's office at the end of September 2023 and was succeeded byNJDOT commissionerDiane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.[16] After departing the governor's office, he served as executive vice president and chief external affairs and policy officer atRWJBarnabas Health and as a commissioner of thePort Authority of New York and New Jersey.[12]
On June 6, 2020, former Department of Health Assistant Commissioner Christopher Neuwirth sued the State of New Jersey, including Governor Murphy, Chief of Staff George Helmy, and New Jersey Attorney GeneralMatthew Platkin for firing him overwhistleblowing that State Police Superintendent Patrick J. Callahan tried pressuring him into testing Helmy's relatives for COVID-19 in April 2020. At that time, the state Department of Health was experiencing a shortage of COVID-19 tests, so Neuwirth declined the request and reported the incident as an ethics violation.[17]
Helmy was a registeredRepublican until 2011, when he became anunaffiliated voter.[3] He briefly registered as aDemocrat in 2018, to vote in the party's primarythat year for U.S. representative inNew Jersey's 11th congressional district,[3] but left the party at the end of the year, and remained an independent until March 2024, when he affiliated as a Democrat again.[3]
TheNew Jersey Globe reported on August 13, 2024, that Helmy would be appointed to theUnited States Senate seat vacated by the resignation ofBob Menendez. Murphy announced Helmy's appointment on August 16.[4] On September 9, he was sworn in bySenate President pro temporePatty Murray. He was assigned as acaretaker and was not a candidate in theNovember 2024 election.[12] Murphy announced that Helmy would resign after the 2024 election was certified, to be replaced by the election's winner, to give New Jersey's new senator an advantage inseniority over the other newly elected senators, who take office on January 3, 2025.[18]Andy Kim won that election. Helmy resigned on December 8, 2024, with Kim taking office the next day.[19]
On September 10, 2024, Helmy introduced his first sponsored bill, which would rename facilities at thePaterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor of CongressmanBill Pascrell, who died in August.[20]
In February, 2025, GovernorPhil Murphy appointed Helmy to serve on theRutgers University Board of Governors, effective until June 30, 2030.[6][21]
As of 2024[update], Helmy lives inMountain Lakes, New Jersey. He and his wife, Caroline, have two children.[3] Helmy is the firstCoptic American U.S. senator.[5]
Senator-designee George Helmy, D-N.J., second from right, poses with his wife Caroline Helmy, second from left, and his sons Joshua, 15, left, and Elijah, 12
It is an honor to appoint George Helmy, a proven public servant who deeply understands the complexities of Congress, to the United States Senate.
| U.S. Senate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | United States Senator (Class 1) from New Jersey 2024 Served alongside:Cory Booker | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former US Senator | Order of precedence of the United States | Succeeded byas Former US Senator |
