Herbert C. Conaway Jr.

DINCUMBENTU.S. Representative for New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District (since 2025); physician

Ran unopposed in the June 2 Democratic primary

Herbert C. Conaway Jr. is a physician and attorney who represented Burlington County in the New Jersey General Assembly for 25 years (1998–2024), chairing its Health Committee, before winning election to Congress in 2024. He ran unopposed in the 2026 Democratic primary.[3]

Key votes in Congress

  • YesWar Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · H. Con. Res. 86 · Passed 215–208 · 2026-06-03 roll call ↗The resolution directs the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran that Congress has not authorized, invoking the War Powers Resolution. It passed the House with support from Democrats and a number of Republicans.
  • YesResolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · H.J. Res. 72 · Passed 219–211 · 2026-02-11 roll call ↗The resolution terminates the national emergency the President declared in February 2025 to justify a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, ending that tariff if it becomes law. It passed with a bipartisan majority, including several Republicans who broke with the administration on trade policy.
  • NoConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — full-year government funding · H.R. 7148 · Passed 217–214 · 2026-02-03 roll call ↗The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026.
  • YesBreaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · H.R. 1834 · Passed 230–196 · 2026-01-08 roll call ↗The bill extends for additional years the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that were expanded in 2021 and had lapsed at the end of 2025, lowering health-insurance premiums for people who buy coverage on ACA marketplaces. It passed with support from nearly all Democrats and a small group of Republicans.
  • YesWar Powers Resolution on Venezuela · H. Con. Res. 64 · Failed 211–213 · 2025-12-17 roll call ↗The resolution would have directed the President to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized. It failed after U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela had raised questions in Congress about the administration's legal authority for military action in the region.
  • YesNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passage · S. 1071 · Passed 312–112 · 2025-12-10 roll call ↗The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. It also sets policy on military personnel, procurement, and other Defense Department programs for the year.
  • YesEpstein Files Transparency Act · H.R. 4405 · Passed 427–1 · 2025-11-18 roll call ↗The bill directs the Department of Justice to publicly release its investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days, while allowing redactions to protect victim identities, ongoing investigations, and law enforcement techniques. It passed with near-unanimous support.
  • NoContinuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending vote · H.R. 5371 · Passed 222–209 · 2025-11-12 roll call ↗The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. It also reversed shutdown-related federal layoffs and funded SNAP benefits retroactively.
  • YesCLARITY Act — digital asset market structure · H.R. 3633 · Passed 294–134 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The CLARITY Act creates a regulatory framework dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It sets registration and disclosure requirements for cryptocurrency exchanges and other digital-asset intermediaries.
  • YesGENIUS Act — stablecoin regulation · S. 1582 · Passed 308–122 · 2025-07-17 roll call ↗The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and to comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation enacted into federal law.
  • NoOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 218–214 · 2025-07-03 roll call ↗H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and raises the cap on state and local tax deductions. It increases border security and defense spending while cutting projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adding new work requirements; President Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.
  • NoRescissions Act of 2025 · H.R. 4 · Passed 214–212 · 2025-06-12 roll call ↗The Rescissions Act canceled about $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, mostly for foreign aid programs and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was the first rescissions package Congress had approved in decades.
  • NoOne Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · H.R. 1 · Passed 215–214 · 2025-05-22 roll call ↗H.R. 1 extends and modifies the 2017 individual and business tax cuts, creates new deductions for tips and overtime pay, and increases spending on border security and defense. It also reduces projected spending on Medicaid and food-assistance programs and adds new work requirements for some recipients.
  • NoSAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · H.R. 22 · Passed 220–208 · 2025-04-10 roll call ↗The SAVE Act would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in person when registering to vote in federal elections. It also directs states to establish procedures to remove noncitizens identified on voter rolls.
  • NoFull-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 · H.R. 1968 · Passed 217–213 · 2025-03-11 roll call ↗The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown ahead of a March 14 deadline. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations.
  • NoLaken Riley Act — final passage · S. 5 · Passed 263–156 · 2025-01-22 roll call ↗The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions.

On the record — official actions

  • actionChaired the New Jersey General Assembly's Health Committee, where he led efforts to cap co-pays for 30-day supplies of life-saving drugs including epinephrine injectors, asthma inhalers, and insulin, and required pharmacies to document reasons for not filling certain prescriptions.[4]
  • billSponsored the "Manufacturing in Higher Education Act" as a state legislator, promoting manufacturing career pathways for students, and supported the New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020, which provided $14 billion in pandemic relief to small businesses and restaurants.[4]
  • billCo-sponsored New Jersey Assembly bill A3975, protecting nondisclosure of patient information related to reproductive healthcare services and protecting access to abortion-related services for out-of-state persons.[4]
  • billAs a state legislator, sponsored bills to improve the ballot-counting process and pushed to establish a Voting Improvement Task Force.[4]
  • actionSits on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs (Health; Oversight and Investigations subcommittees) and the Committee on Small Business (Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access subcommittee) for the 119th Congress (2025–2026).[3]

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsProtect legal access to abortion

    Supports codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law and the Right to Contraception Act; as a state legislator co-sponsored a bill protecting nondisclosure of reproductive-healthcare patient information and access for out-of-state patients.[4]

  • SupportsExpand public health coverageFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements. Voted yes on Breaking the Gridlock Act (H.R. 1834, 2026-01-08).[9][10][11][12]

    What they say: As Assembly Health Committee chair, worked to cap co-pays on insulin and other life-saving drugs and increase pharmaceutical pricing transparency; supports taking similar drug-cost caps to the national level.[4]

  • SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.[9][10][11]

    What they say: (their stated position — mixed — differs from their votes) Advocates expanding the Child Tax Credit and the SALT deduction to help middle-class families, rather than framing his platform around taxing wealthy individuals specifically.[4]

  • SupportsFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.[9][10][11]

    What they say: In the Assembly, introduced legislation establishing a New Jersey Invasive Species Task Force and a bill providing income tax credits for zero-emission lawn equipment; supports expanding electric-vehicle charging infrastructure nationally.[4]

  • OpposesExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

    Voted no on Laken Riley Act (S. 5, 2025-01-22). Voted no on One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-05-22; 2025-07-03), which funded expanded immigration enforcement, detention and border operations.[8][9][10][11]

  • OpposesBroad tariffs on imported goodsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11).[13]

In their words — priorities

  • Says restoring affordability for middle-class families is a top priority, citing his advocacy for expanding the Child Tax Credit and the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, and his support for the Shrinkflation Reduction Act of 2024.[4]
  • Says protecting reproductive rights is a priority, pointing to his record co-sponsoring reproductive-privacy legislation in the Assembly and his support in Congress for codifying Roe v. Wade and the Right to Contraception Act.[4]
  • Prioritizes lowering prescription drug prices, citing his work as Assembly Health Committee chair capping co-pays on insulin and other life-saving drugs and requiring more pharmaceutical-industry transparency.[4]

Background

  • Graduated from Bordentown Regional High School in 1981; earned a B.A. in politics from Princeton University in 1985, an M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in 1989, and a J.D. from Rutgers Law School, Camden, in 1996.[3]
  • Served in the U.S. Air Force from 1992 to 1996, reaching the rank of Captain; worked as a private practicing physician and at Cooper University Hospital.[3]
  • Served in the New Jersey General Assembly representing District 7 from 1998 until his election to Congress in 2024, including as Chair of the Assembly Health Committee and as a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committees.[4]

Campaign money

Raised $935K · spent $533K · $439K cash on hand (through 2026-06-30) FEC filing ↗

Also on the ballot for this seat: Michael McGuire, Ryan Kelly, Steven Welzer · Compare side by side

Sources cited in this profile

  1. 3.Herbert C. Conaway Jr. · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 4.On the Issues · Herb Conaway for Congress campaign Candidate's own words
  3. 8.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
  4. 9.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
  5. 10.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
  6. 11.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
  7. 12.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
  8. 13.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record