Sen. Bob Menendez will seek re-election in NJ as an independent — as corruption trial drags on
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Sen. Bob Menendez, New Jersey's senior senator who is on trial in lower Manhattan on federal corruption charges, filed petitions to run for re-election in November as an independent on Monday.
Menendez, 70, will seek his fourth term in the U.S. Senate and is a lifelong Democrat. He will run without the nomination of his party. After he was initially indicted — alongside his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, and three New Jersey businessmen — Menendez faced numerous calls to resign from prominent Democrats, including from Gov. Phil Murphy, Sen. Cory Booker and Pennsylvania's Sen. John Fetterman.
Menendez did not seek his party's nomination — to be determined in Tuesday's New Jersey primary election — but never ruled out the possibility of running as an independent. His entry to the race could complicate the prospects of the presumptive Democratic nominee, Rep. Andy Kim of Burlington County. Menendez has maintained that he can count on considerable support from within the Democratic base, which could provide an opening for the Republican candidate. Curtis Bashaw, a Cape May businessman, is seeking the nomination for U.S. Senate alongside Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner. Bashaw has enjoyed broad support from county-level GOP organizations while Serrano Glassner has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
Kim quickly criticized Menendez's decision to run as news about the move broke late Monday afternoon.
"He’s running for himself," Kim said. "People are fed up with politicians putting their own personal benefit ahead of what’s right for the country."
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Federal trial drags on
Meanwhile Monday, Menenedez's federal trial began its fourth week.
Among the charges brought by the Southern District of New York against Menendez are bribery and extortion to benefit Egypt and Qatar. Menendez has been charged — in four successive indictments — alongside his wife, Nadine Arslanian Menendez, and three New Jersey businessmen — including one who has already pleaded guilty.