Herb Conaway
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 7th district
Assumed office
January 13, 1998
Serving with Carol A. Murphy
Preceded byDiane Allen
Personal details
Born (1963-01-30) January 30, 1963 (age 61)
Trenton, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationPrinceton University (BA)
Thomas Jefferson University (MD)
Rutgers University, Newark (JD)
WebsiteState Assembly website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
Years of service1992–1996
RankCaptain

Herbert C. Conaway Jr. (born January 30, 1963) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1998, where he represents the 7th Legislative District.

Conaway served in the Assembly as the Majority Whip from 2014 to 2017, and was the Deputy Speaker from 2002 to 2005 and again starting in 2022.[1]

Early life

Conaway was born at St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton on January 30, 1963, to Eva Christine Conaway (née Godard), a nurse at the hospital, and Herb Conaway Sr., a history teacher at Bordentown Regional High School.[2][3][4] He grew up in Bordentown, attending high school there. Conaway graduated with an A.B. in politics from Princeton University in 1985 after completing a 67-page long senior thesis titled "Black Political Strategy."[5] He then received an M.D. degree from Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University and was awarded a J.D. from Rutgers School of Law—Newark.[1] He is the only member of the legislature to hold both an M.D. degree and a J.D. degree.[6] Conaway later served in the United States Air Force Medical Corps from 1992 to 1996, reaching the rank of Captain.[1] He served at McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County as general medical officer and as assistant director of the primary care clinic.[6] He continues to practice medicine whilst serving in the legislature. He specializes in internal medicine and currently serves as director of the internal medicine clinic at St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton. He formerly worked at Cooper University Hospital and had a practice in Willingboro.[4] Formerly a resident of Delanco Township, he now lives in Moorestown.[4][6][7]

New Jersey Assembly

Conaway was first elected to the General Assembly from the 7th District in 1997 as the top vote getter. The same election saw his running mate and second-place finisher, Jack Conners, be seated then removed due to voting machine issues and replaced in September 1998 by Republican Kenneth William Faulkner.[8] Conners was subsequently elected in a 1998 special election and the two served together from the 7th district from that point until 2011 when Conners resigned. Since late 2011, his Assembly associate from the district was Troy Singleton, until Singleton was elected to the New Jersey Senate. Since 2018, his Assembly associate has been Carol A. Murphy. He served as the Assembly's Deputy Speaker from 2002 to 2005.

Calling the proposed bill a "recipe for disaster" that could result in the spread of disease, Conaway opposed legislation proposed by Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk that would give parents the right to exclude their children from mandatory vaccinations, after hearings held in March 2011 by the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee.[9] In 2019, Conaway supported legislation eliminating religious exemptions from mandatory vaccination requirements for students to be eligible to attend school.[10]

Committee assignments

Committee assignments for the current session are:[11]

District 7

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.[12] The representatives from the 7th District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:[13]

Campaigns for the United States House of Representatives

Conaway ran for the United States House of Representatives for New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in the 2004 election, losing to Republican Jim Saxton[14] Conway considered another run for the 3rd district in the 2024 election after incumbent Democrat Andy Kim decided to run for Senate, before officially deciding to enter in December 2023 after winning re-election.[15][16]

Electoral history

Assembly

7th Legislative District General Election, 2023[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Herbert C. Conaway Jr. (incumbent) 32,608 33.5
Democratic Carol Murphy (incumbent) 31,936 32.8
Republican Douglas Dillon 16,368 16.8
Republican Eileen Bleistine 16,350 16.8
Total votes 97,262 100.0
Democratic hold
New Jersey general election, 2021
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Herb Conaway 45,728 30.98%
Democratic Carol Murphy 45,170 30.60%
Republican Douglas Dillon 28,579 19.36%
Republican Joseph Jesuele 28,139 19.06%
Total votes 147,616 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2017[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Herb Conaway 39,879 33.1 Increase 2.5
Democratic Carol Murphy 38,819 32.3 Increase 2.4
Republican Octavia Scott 20,941 17.4 Decrease 1.9
Republican Robert Thibault 20,726 17.2 Decrease 1.7
Total votes 120,365 100.0
[19]
New Jersey general election, 2015
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Herb Conaway 22,559 30.6 Increase 2.6
Democratic Troy Singleton 22,056 29.9 Increase 2.1
Republican Bill Conley 14,272 19.3 Decrease 3.1
Republican Rob Prisco 13,949 18.9 Decrease 2.9
Total votes '72,836' 100.0
[20]
New Jersey general election, 2013
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Herb Conaway 34,978 28.0 Increase 1.8
Democratic Troy Singleton 34,772 27.8 Increase 2.2
Republican Anthony Ogozalek 27,991 22.4 Decrease 1.9
Republican Jeff Banasz 27,233 21.8 Decrease 2.1
Total votes '124,974' 100.0
[21]
New Jersey general election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Herb Conaway 23,908 26.2
Democratic Troy Singleton 23,403 25.6
Republican James "Jim" Keenan 22,144 24.3
Republican Christopher Halgas 21,828 23.9
Total votes 91,283 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2009[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Herb Conaway 36,127 31.9 Increase 3.7
Democratic Jack Conners 35,156 31.0 Increase 3.0
Republican Leah J. Arter 21,332 18.8 Decrease 3.2
Republican Harry Adams 20,763 18.3 Decrease 3.5
Write-In Personal choice 20 0.02 N/A
Total votes 113,398 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2007[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Herb Conaway 22,865 28.2 Decrease 4.6
Democratic Jack Conners 22,760 28.0 Decrease 4.2
Republican Brian Propp 17,843 22.0 Increase 4.0
Republican Nancy Griffin 17,741 21.8 Increase 4.8
Total votes 81,209 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2005[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Herb Conaway 36,221 32.8 Increase 6.6
Democratic Jack Conners 35,562 32.2 Increase 6.1
Republican Joe Donnelly 19,902 18.0 Decrease 6.4
Republican Mike Savala 18,718 17.0 Decrease 6.3
Total votes 110,403 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2003[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Herb Conaway 22,161 26.2 Decrease 3.3
Democratic Jack Conners 22,059 26.1 Decrease 3.6
Republican Jean Stanfield 20,600 24.4 Increase 4.1
Republican Mike Savala 19,727 23.3 Increase 3.6
Total votes 84,547 100.0
New Jersey general election, 2001[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jack Conners 31,703 29.7
Democratic Herb Conaway 31,547 29.5
Republican Clara Ruvolo 21,740 20.3
Republican Aubrey A. Fenton 21,066 19.7
Conservative Hosey Best 850 0.8
Total votes 106,906 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1999[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Jack Conners 20,667 27.7 Increase 3.1
Democratic Herb Conaway, MD 20,517 27.5 Increase 2.9
Republican Gary Daniels 16,086 21.6 Decrease 2.9
Republican Clara Ruvolo 15,338 20.6 Decrease 1.9
Conservative Norman E. Wahner 1,025 1.4 Increase 0.4
Conservative Hosey Best 896 1.2 Increase 0.1
Total votes 74,529 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1997[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Herbert C. Conaway Jr. 27,447 24.63 Increase 3.2
Democratic Jack Conners 27,402 24.59 Increase 3.4
Republican Ken Faulkner 27,335 24.53 Decrease 3.2
Republican George Williams 25,122 22.5 Decrease 3.0
Conservative Hosey Best 1,257 1.1 N/A
Conservative Raymond Hellings 1,091 1.0 N/A
Reform Carmen S. Zarrelli 900 0.8 N/A
Reform George Guzdek 880 0.8 Decrease 0.7
Total votes 111,434 100.0

References

  1. ^ a b c Assemblyman Conaway's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 23, 2022.
  2. ^ "Assemblyman Herb Conaway Jr., M.D. Bio Page". NJ Assembly Majority Office. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  3. ^ Staff (July 25, 2014). "Rest in Peace: Eva Christine Conaway". Politicker NJ. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Kitchenman, Andrew (May 20, 2015). "Profile: Assemblyman Brings Physician's Perspective to Healthcare Issues". NJ Spotlight. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  5. ^ Conaway, Herbert (1985). "Black Political Strategy". ((cite journal)): Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ a b c Herb Conaway, M.D. profile, Denison for State Senate / Conaway & Conners for State Assembly. Accessed August 8, 2007. Archived July 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Assembly Member Herbert C. 'Herb' Conaway Jr., Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 8, 2007.
  8. ^ Staff. "Conners Ordered To Leave Assembly \ A Disputed Election Led To A Ruling That A Republican Must Take His Seat, Setting Stage For Rematch With Ken Faulkner.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 3, 1998. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  9. ^ Friedman, Matt. "N.J. Assemblyman rejects parents' plea for more say on kids' vaccinations", The Star-Ledger, March 8, 2011. Accessed March 17, 2011.
  10. ^ Floor Statement - Assembly January 31, 2019 by Herb Conaway, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed December 11, 2019.
  11. ^ Carol A. Murphy (D), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 23, 2022.
  12. ^ New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
  13. ^ Legislative Roster for District 7, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 22, 2024.
  14. ^ Mansnerus, Laura. "ON POLITICS; Clueless in New Jersey, Or Refreshingly Out of Touch?", The New York Times, November 7, 2004. Accessed July 23, 2009.
  15. ^ Wildstein, David (October 14, 2023). "Conaway appears likely to run for Congress in NJ-3". Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  16. ^ Wildstein, David (December 7, 2023). "Herb Conaway enters race for Andy Kim's House seat". New Jersey Globe. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  17. ^ "Candidates for General Assembly - For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2023 Election" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  18. ^ "2017-official-general-election-results-general-assembly.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  19. ^ "2015-official-ge-results-nj-general-assembly.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 30, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  20. ^ "2013-official-general-election-results-general-assembly.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  21. ^ "2011-official-gen-elect-gen-assembly-results-121411.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 14, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  22. ^ "2009-official-gen-elect-gen-assembly-tallies-120109.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  23. ^ "2007-official-general-election-tallies(ga)-12.12.07.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  24. ^ "05831236.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  25. ^ "2003g_a_candidate_tally.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  26. ^ "2001-general-elect-gen-assembly-tallies.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  27. ^ "1999-general-elect-gen-assembly-candidate-tallies.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  28. ^ "1997-general-election-results-state-assembly.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2019.

External links

Members of the New Jersey General Assembly
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