Herb Conaway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herb Conaway
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 3rd district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Andy Kim |
| Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 7th district |
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| In office January 13, 1998 – January 1, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Diane Allen |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Herbert Clark Hoover Conaway Jr.
January 30, 1963 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education |
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| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1992–1996 |
| Rank | Captain |
Herbert Clark Hoover Conaway Jr. (born January 30, 1963) is an American doctor and politician. He is currently a U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 3rd congressional district. Before this, he served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2025. There, he represented the 7th Legislative District.
Conaway held important roles in the Assembly. He was the Majority Whip from 2014 to 2017. He also served as the Deputy Speaker from 2002 to 2005 and again starting in 2022. In the 2024 U.S. House of Representatives election, he won the 3rd district as the Democratic candidate.
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Early Life and Education
Herb Conaway was born in Trenton on January 30, 1963. His mother, Eva Christine Conaway, was a nurse. His father, Herb Conaway Sr., was a history teacher. He grew up in Bordentown and went to high school there.
Conaway studied politics at Princeton University, graduating in 1985. He then earned a medical degree (M.D.) from Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. Later, he also received a law degree (J.D.) from Rutgers School of Law—Newark. He is the only person in the New Jersey Legislature to have both a medical and a law degree.
Military Service and Medical Career
From 1992 to 1996, Conaway served in the United States Air Force Medical Corps. He reached the rank of Captain. He worked at McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County. There, he was a general medical officer and helped lead a primary care clinic.
Even while serving in the legislature, he continues to practice medicine. He specializes in internal medicine. Currently, he is the director of the internal medicine clinic at St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton. He used to work at Cooper University Hospital. He also had his own medical practice in Willingboro. He lives in Moorestown.
Serving in the New Jersey Assembly
Conaway was first elected to the New Jersey General Assembly in 1997. He represented the 7th District. He worked with several other politicians from his district over the years. These included Jack Conners, Troy Singleton, and Carol A. Murphy. He was also the Assembly's Deputy Speaker for a few years.
Important Issues: Vaccinations
In 2011, Conaway spoke out against a bill that would let parents opt their children out of mandatory vaccinations. He called it a "recipe for disaster" that could spread diseases. In 2019, he supported a law to remove religious reasons for not getting required vaccinations for students to attend school. This shows his focus on public health.
Committee Work
In the Assembly, Conaway was part of several important groups called committees. These committees study bills and issues before they are voted on.
- Health (Chair)
- Budget
- Military and Veterans' Affairs
Your Representatives in District 7
The New Jersey Legislature has 40 districts. Each district has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. For the 2024—2025 Legislative Session, the representatives from the 7th District are:
- Senator Troy Singleton (D)
- Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D)
- Assemblywoman Carol A. Murphy (D)
Moving to the U.S. House of Representatives
Conaway ran for the United States House of Representatives in 2004 but did not win. In 2023, after the current representative, Andy Kim, decided to run for Senate, Conaway decided to run for the 3rd congressional district again. He won the Democratic primary election in June 2024. This made him the Democratic candidate to take over from Andy Kim.
Group Memberships
Conaway is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. This is a group of moderate Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Electoral History Summary
Herb Conaway has a long history of winning elections. He has successfully run for the New Jersey General Assembly many times, showing strong support from voters in his district. He also won his most recent election to become a U.S. Representative.
