It is expected that at a special meeting scheduled for Sept. 5th, the Atlantic County Democratic Committee will appoint candidate Colin Bell to the 2nd District Senate seat left vacant by the death last week of Senator Jim Whelan.

Senator Whelan had announced his retirement, and Bell subsequently received the support of the Democratic Committee to run for the Senator’s seat. Now, Democrats hope to put their candidate in the position of incumbent in time for the November general election when Bell faces Assemblyman Chris Brown (R-2).

Brown is running with the backing of the Republican Party to succeed Senator Whelan.