Former Burlington Dems supervisor plans to replace Conaway in Assembly

Burlington County Democrats will select a short-term caretaker to fill a vacancy in the state Assembly that will occur around Jan. 3, when Herb Conaway Jr. (D-Delran) takes his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Daniel J. O’Connell, a former locomotive engineer and union leader who is retiring Jan. 1 after six years as a Burlington County commissioner, has emerged as a leading candidate to fill the remainder of Conaay’s term. O’Connell has vowed not to enter the June 2025 Democratic primary.

The move creates an open process allowing any Democrat who wants to run in next year’s primary out of line to enter the office block to compete without party insiders putting their thumb on the scale and nominating Conaway’s successor. The 7th Legislative District is safe for Democrats.

“It is important that our committee members have adequate time to evaluate the talented candidates who will fill the vacancy created by Dr. Conaway’s arrival in the U.S. Congress,” said Burlington County Democratic Party Chairman Matt Riggins. “The appointment of Commissioner O’Connell to fill the remainder of Dr. Conaway’s term will allow the BCDC to fully vet each candidate in the spring, culminating with our members voting at a free and fair County Convention prior to the June primary.”

After consulting with other Democrats, Riggins determined that the short time – New Jersey law requires a new legislator to be chosen within 7 to 35 days – to select Conaway’s replacement left county commissioners and voters without sufficient time to evaluate the field of potential candidates.

Instead of giving one candidate the advantage of incumbency, Riggins instead endorses him.

Currently serving three terms as Burlington County Commissioner Balveer Singh and Mayor of Moorestown Nicole GillespieAnnapolis graduate and U.S. Navy veteran is already in the race. Assembly Majority Whip Carol Murphy (D-Mount Laurel) is expected to seek re-election to a fifth term in the Legislature.

The plan is supported by state Sen. Troy Singleton (D-Delran) and Murphy.

“It is critical that our next Assembly Representative has the necessary experience and character to lead our state government. Our party must have enough time and space to fully evaluate the candidates before making a decision at the county open convention this spring,” Singleton said. “I believe the appointment of Commissioner O’Connell to serve his expiring term will do just that, and will also result in a leader of great integrity and intelligence in the State Assembly next year.”

Murphy praised O’Connell’s service in county government and said he “will be a great partner for me in the Assembly for the remainder of Dr. Conaway’s term.”

“I fully support the process outlined by Chairman Riggins and hope that all BCDC members will take the time to evaluate all candidates for this seat.”

Riggins has pledged to hold a free and fair primary convention this spring (Burlington has already committed to holding a no-line primary) and asked all candidates to respect the placeholder process when the party meets in January to replace Conaway. Candidates are not bound by this and can introduce themselves to district committee members if they wish.

With preferential positions on the ballot eliminated, the convention may be all about the slogan. Candidates with political base, grassroots support or money are free to run for one of the two Assembly seats in the 7th Legislative District.

Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute of New Jersey Politics at Rider University, said it’s a “great opportunity over the old way of doing business.”

“Under the old system, district organizations would rarely pass up an opportunity to appoint a new officer,” he said. “(It) allows the official to ‘pay back’ to the voters who put him in office rather than the party, Bravo to Matt Riggins.”

Riggins’ plan also has the support of Eric Heyman-Meltzer, Cinnaminson’s Democratic town chairman.

“In a post-linear world, there should be no barriers to running for office, neither preferential ballot placement nor incumbency,” Heyman-Meltzer said. “The deck should never be stacked against any candidate.”

The seat doesn’t open up often: Conaway and Jack Conners (Pennsauken State) won it in 1997; Singleton won the seat after Conners retired in 2009, and Murphy was elected in 2017 after Singleton moved to the Senate.

O’Connell was elected to the Delran Township Council in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. After Freeholder George Youngkin resigned minutes after being sworn in on January 1, 2019, O’Connell won a special electorate to replace him; he was elected in special elections in November 2019 and again in 2021. He announced earlier this year that he would not run for re-election.

Before retiring, O’Connell worked in the railroad industry for Penn Central, CONRAIL and New Jersey Transit. He was a union representative for the United Transportation Union (UTU) and became the state union’s legislative director.

“I thank Commissioner O’Connell for his willingness to serve and know he will be a strong and effective leader in Trenton on behalf of his constituents,” Riggins said.