New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver unexpectedly died at 71 following an undisclosed medical issue while she was leading the state as Gov. Phil Murphy was out of state for a vacation.
After Oliver was rushed to the hospital on Monday, the Democratic Senate President, Nicholas Scutari took over as acting governor. Murphy released a statement announcing the Lt. governor's death where he remembered Oliver as a "trailblazer."
Sheila Oliver Unexpected Dies at 71
The governor said that when he selected the late Oliver as her running mate in 2017, she had already made history as the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the General Assembly. She was also the second Black woman in the history of the United States to lead a house of a state legislature.
The New Jersey governor added that he knew then that Oliver's decades of public service had helped her become the ideal partner to lead the state. Jaime Harrison, the chairperson of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), said that he was devastated to hear about Oliver's death, as per ABC News.
He called the late Lt. governor someone who "exemplified the very best of what a public servant should be," she was humble, selfless, and always wanted to help those who needed it the most.
In a statement, Harrison said that Oliver was the first woman of color to be elected statewide office in New Jersey. He noted that she will be greatly missed and believes that her legacy will live on in the lives she has touched through her lifetime of public service.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey and now 2024 presidential candidate, said that Oliver's death marks a sad day for the state and him.
Oliver signed a handful of bills as acting governor while Murphy was away, including a 2021 measure that established a pilot program to overhaul New Jersey's juvenile justice system. According to Fox News, this would take effect in four cities in New Jersey and seeks to reintegrate young people back into their communities.
New Jersey Lt. Governor's Legacy
The Lt. governor, a Democratic lawmaker, was born and raised in Newark. Oliver also has a sociology degree from studying at Pennsylvania's Lincoln University. From 1996 to 1999, the Black lawmaker served on the Essex County board of chosen freeholders before she was able to win the election to the state Assembly in 2004.
Oliver was seen as a talented public speaker, frequently accompanying Murphy during bill-signing ceremonies and his office's other functions. He would usually introduce her as his "rocking" lieutenant governor.
There was a moment in 2021 when Oliver showed her emotions while unveiling tighter gun legislation alongside the New Jersey governor. Her voice cracked as she lamented the gun violence that disproportionately affected various cities within the state.
She said that they were tired of funerals and memorials resulting from deaths caused by gun violence within New Jersey. Oliver noted that it was different during her younger years when she could go to any section of Newark without worrying about her life, said the Associated Press.
