New Jersey New Members 2025

Sen.-elect Andy Kim (D-N.J.)

Date of Birth / July 12, 1982 
Residence / Moorestown, N.J. 
Occupation / U.S. representative for New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District 
Education / B.A., University of Chicago; Ph.D., Oxford University 
Family / Married to Kammy Lai with two children 

Andy Kim clinched a stunning upset this year when he went up against the New Jersey Democratic establishment and won to become the state’s next senator.  

A member of the House since 2019, Kim threw his hat in the ring to run for Senate in response to the indictment of then-Sen. Bob Menendez (D) on a wide range of charges related to alleged corruption. He said at the time that the state “deserves better.” 

The indictment caused Menendez not to seek the Democratic nomination again, and he eventually resigned after being convicted on all charges he faced.  

Kim, meanwhile, rallied grassroots support to build his following and managed to buck the establishment as his momentum forced New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy from the Democratic primary, clearing the way for his nomination. He also filed a lawsuit that led to a judge throwing out the state’s long-standing county line ballot system that he argued gave an unfair advantage to establishment candidates.  

His victory over his Republican opponent, businessman Curtis Bashaw, cemented what was a big year for Kim. 

— Jared Gans 

Rep.-elect Herb Conaway (D-N.J.-3)

Date of Birth / Jan. 30, 1963  
Residence / Delran, N.J.  
Occupation / New Jersey General Assembly member; health care professional  
Education / B.A., Princeton University; M.D., Jefferson Medical College; J.D. Rutgers School of Law  
Family / Single with two children  

Herb Conaway has had an extensive career in both medicine and politics before being elected to represent New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District.  

Conaway’s campaign website states the congressman-elect knew from a young age that he wanted to serve his community and began studying medicine after graduating from high school. He spent time serving in the Air Force, becoming a captain in the Medical Corps, general medical officer and assistant director of a primary care clinic.  

He eventually became a clinical professor at an inner-city community hospital before being elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served for the past 25 years. He serves as the chair of the Assembly’s Health Committee.  

Conaway emphasized his experience as a doctor on multiple issues, including protecting reproductive rights and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. He vowed to push to implement New Jersey’s “life-saving” drug cost caps on a national level. 

— Jared Gans 

Rep.-elect Nellie Pou  (D-N.J.-9)

Date of Birth / May 20, 1956  
Residence / North Haledon, N.J.  
Occupation / New Jersey state senator  
Education / Kean College; continuing education credits, Rutgers University  
Family / Married to Richard with four children  

Nellie Pou’s campaign needed to come together in what was probably one of the shortest time spans a candidate has in New Jersey.  

Rep. Bill Pascrell was the Democratic nominee for the 9th Congressional District when he died in late August at age 87. The deadline to replace him with an alternate nominee was only about a week later.  

Pou consolidated Democratic support in the counties that make up the district to receive the nomination from the party’s county officials. As the Democratic candidate, she was the favorite to easily win the election in the strongly blue-leaning district.  

The seat will remain vacant for the rest of the term because of the closeness between Pascrell’s death and Election Day. Pou’s campaign was just more than two months long.  

Pou is set to become the first Latina to represent New Jersey in Congress. 

— Jared Gans