New Jersey 3rd District Voter Guide: Conaway, McGuire, Kelly and Welzer on Costs and Health Care
Four candidates are on the ballot in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: Democratic Rep. Herb Conaway, a physician seeking a second term, Republican Michael McGuire, a family law attorney and Navy Reserve officer, Ryan Michael Kelly, an educator running as an independent, and Steven Welzer, the Green Party candidate.
The Digital Free Press voter guide video compares the four candidates on the cost of living and health care. Here is where each one stands, based on the video, the candidates' own websites and their answers to the NJ Spotlight News voter guide, which all four answered.
The district covers parts of Burlington, Mercer and Monmouth counties, including Mount Holly, Moorestown, Evesham, Willingboro and Bordentown. Registered Democrats make up almost 36% of voters and Republicans about 27%, with most of the rest unaffiliated, according to NJ Spotlight News. Kelly is on the ballot under the slogan "Affordability, Accountability, People."
Why Costs and Health Care Are Issues
Utility bills have risen for New Jersey families: New Jersey Policy Perspective reported that typical household electric bills were set to climb by more than $20 a month starting in June 2025. On health care, Get Covered New Jersey says the enhanced federal premium tax credits ended on Dec. 31, 2025, leading to higher premiums for most 2026 marketplace plans. The state Department of Banking and Insurance said in April that 68,830 people who signed up for 2026 coverage had since dropped it, a 14% decline, the New Jersey Monitor reported.
Herb Conaway (Democrat, Incumbent)
Conaway, 63, of Delran, is an internal medicine physician who also holds a law degree. He served 25 years in the New Jersey General Assembly and more than five years as director of the Burlington County Health Department before winning his first term in Congress, WHYY reported. He told WHYY his top priorities are the economy, health care and preserving democracy, and said, "During this administration, we have seen the largest transfer of wealth from the poorest Americans to the richest billionaires in the nation's history."
On the cost of living, the video says Conaway supports more affordable housing, lower energy costs and action against anti-competitive practices. In his NJ Spotlight News answers, he said he would focus on "increasing housing supply and affordability, lowering energy and health care costs, protecting consumers from corporate price increases and anti-competitive practices, and investing in good-paying jobs and infrastructure."
On health care, the video says Conaway supports stronger prescription drug price negotiation and pharmaceutical supply chain transparency. He told NJ Spotlight News, "Congress should strengthen prescription drug price negotiation, increase transparency and accountability across the pharmaceutical supply chain, and crack down on practices that drive up costs for patients."
Michael McGuire (Republican)
McGuire, 47, of Freehold Township, is a family law attorney and an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He served four years in the Marine Corps and then joined the New York City Police Department, where he was a first responder on Sept. 11, 2001, WHYY reported. He is also a small-business advisor and tax practitioner, and this is his first run for office.
On the cost of living, the video says McGuire supports agency audits, domestic drilling and nuclear power, and fewer housing regulations. He told NJ Spotlight News he would "claw back unspent 'slush funds' and audit every federal agency," expand "domestic drilling and nuclear power," and "cut the red tape and regulations that stifle small businesses and drive up the cost of housing construction." He told WHYY he also wants to lift the cap on the state and local tax deduction and expand the Child Tax Credit. "My focus is restoring fiscal sanity," he said.
On health care, the video says McGuire supports price transparency, competition and portable insurance across state lines. He told NJ Spotlight News he backs "radical price transparency and real market competition" and "portable health insurance across state lines," and that he "will oppose any government takeover that would destroy private options." He said Medicare and Medicaid should be protected for seniors by "cutting the administrative waste and fraud that threaten their solvency."
Ryan Michael Kelly (Independent)
Kelly, 43, is an educator who spent 13 years with the Department of Homeland Security in government operations and program administration, and he served on the Lake Como Borough Council in Monmouth County, WHYY reported. "If elected, the people of NJ-03 are my bosses," he said.
On the cost of living, the video says Kelly supports targeted tax relief, a living wage, union rights and more affordable housing. He told NJ Spotlight News, "I support targeted tax relief for working families and small businesses, a living wage, stronger union rights, and paid family leave," along with more affordable housing and "stronger oversight of utility costs."
On health care, the video says Kelly supports universal single-payer health care with comprehensive coverage. "I support universal, single-payer healthcare," he told NJ Spotlight News, saying coverage should include doctor visits, emergency and mental health care, prescriptions "and other medically necessary treatment."
Steven Welzer (Green Party)
Welzer, 76, of East Windsor, is retired from a State of New Jersey information technology job and holds a master's degree in economics from Rutgers University. He was a founding member of the Green Party of New Jersey in 1997 and was the party's candidate for governor in 2013, according to his NJ Spotlight News profile and WHYY.
On the cost of living, the video says Welzer supports a $25 minimum wage, public housing investment and breaking up monopolies. He told NJ Spotlight News that "monopolies should be broken up, corporate stock buybacks should be prohibited," and that he backs raising the federal minimum wage "from $7.25 to $25 an hour and indexing future increases to inflation," along with "major public housing investment."
On health care, the video says Welzer supports publicly funded Medicare for All with comprehensive lifetime benefits. He told NJ Spotlight News he advocates "a publicly funded 'Medicare for All' healthcare insurance program," with "comprehensive lifetime benefits" including dental, vision, mental health and long-term care.
Where to Follow the Candidates
Herb Conaway: @RepHerbConaway on X and @repherbconaway on Instagram; campaign @herbconaway on X and @drherbconawaynj on Instagram. Michael McGuire: @MikeMcGuireNJ on X and @michaelmcguireforcongressnj03 on Instagram. Ryan Michael Kelly: @KellyForNJ03 on X and Instagram. Steven Welzer: his campaign website links to Facebook.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. This guide is for information only; The Digital Free Press does not endorse any candidate.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: New Jersey Division of Elections, Official List, Candidates for House of Representatives, General Election 11/03/2026: https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2026/2026-official-general-candidates-us-house-0904.pdf ; NJ Spotlight News, 3rd Congressional District Election Guide: https://www.njspotlightnews.org/special-report/2026-primary-3rd-congressional-district/ ; WHYY, "New Jersey election 2026: What to know about the 3rd Congressional District race": https://whyy.org/articles/election-2026-new-jersey-3rd-congressional-district-voter-guide/ ; Herb Conaway campaign, Issues: https://www.herbforcongress.com/issues ; Rep. Herb Conaway, House website: https://conaway.house.gov/ ; Michael McGuire campaign, Issues: https://michaelmcguireforcongress.com/issues/ ; Michael McGuire campaign, About: https://michaelmcguireforcongress.com/about/ ; Ryan Michael Kelly campaign, Issues: https://www.kellyfornj03.com/en/issues ; Steven Welzer campaign: https://www.welzerforcongress.org/ ; New Jersey Policy Perspective, "Why Are New Jersey's Electricity Bills Going Up": https://www.njpp.org/publications/explainer/why-are-new-jersey-electricity-bills-going-up-and-what-does-pjm-have-to-do-with-it/ ; Get Covered New Jersey, Featured Updates: https://www.nj.gov/getcoverednj/findanswers/updates/ ; New Jersey Monitor, "69,000 drop NJ marketplace health plans after enrolling" (April 21, 2026): https://newjerseymonitor.com/2026/04/21/69000-drop-nj-marketplace-health-plans-after-enrolling/
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