New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver (D) has died following an undisclosed medical issue requiring hospitalization.
Oliver, 71, was admitted Monday while serving as acting governor of New Jersey. The cause of death has not been announced.
Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is currently vacationing in Italy.
Murphy issued a statement a short time ago mourning the passing of his “dear friend, colleague, and partner in government.”
Following Oliver's hospitalization, New Jersey Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D) assumed the role of acting governor.
“It is with incredible sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of the Honorable Sheila Y. Oliver, Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey. She was not only a distinguished public servant but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and hero,” the family said in a statement.
“As we come to terms with this profound loss, we kindly request that you respect the privacy of the Oliver family during this difficult time as they grieve their beloved Sheila,” the statement read.
Before Murphy chose Oliver as his running mate in the 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial election, she made history as the first Black woman to serve as speaker in the state legislature.
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