TRENTON, New Jersey – New Jersey Democrats and Republicans were deciding their party’s standard bearers for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, a race rocked by federal corruption trial three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, along with presidential and House candidates.
Menéndez, who presented Monday to run as an independent, was not on the primary ballot. Instead, Democratic voters had to choose between Rep. Andy Kim, labor leader Patricia Campos-Medina and longtime grassroots organizer Lawrence Hamm.
In a four-candidate race on the Republican Party side, southern New Jersey hotel developer Curtis Bashaw won significant support from the county party, and Mendham Township Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner won the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Although New Jersey has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972, the stakes are high, with Democrats holding a slim majority in the body. The Republican Party sees Menéndez’s independent run as a potential hurdle that could boost his chances in the fall.
“Republicans have the best opportunity to win this seat in 52 years,” Republican state Sen. Mike Testa said in a statement.
Menendez spoke briefly Monday outside the New York courthouse where his trial is being held, saying he has not changed politically despite running under his own banner rather than seeking the Democratic nomination.
Kim said Tuesday that Menendez’s candidacy is selfish and “I am striving to restore integrity in the U.S. Senate.”
Menéndez, his wife and two business associates have pleaded not guilty to federal charges that the senator traded the promise of official acts for gold bars, cash, a luxury vehicle and a mortgage payment. A third business partner pleaded guilty and agreed to testify in the case for prosecutors.
President Joe Biden and Trump were also on the ballot, both already being their parties’ presumptive nominees.
The Democratic Socialists of America are supporting a protest vote for delegates to the Democratic national convention: Voters will have the option to choose “noncommittal” on delegate ballots, with the slogan “Justice for Palestine, Permanent Ceasefire Now.” appearing below.
Jessica Dunlap, a spokeswoman for the effort, said the goal is to send a message to Biden about his policies toward the war in Gaza.
A similar effort in Michigan this year yielded two delegates, against 115 for Biden.
New this year for New Jersey Democrats will be the end of the so-called county linea system under which those with party support were grouped together at the polls, while those without party support were often listed on what became known as the “Siberian electoral ballot.”
The end of the practice stems from a federal lawsuit between Kim and other Democratic candidates, alleging it unfairly put the thumb on the scale for those with party connections. A judge suspended the system only in this year’s Democratic primaries, as no Republicans joined the process.
The change means Democratic candidates will be grouped together, as is done in all other states.
Voters also chose candidates for the House, with some of the most closely watched races having some connection to Menendez.
The race in the 3rd District, which Kim represents and is leaving to run for the Senate seat, was between Democratic Assembly colleagues Herb Conaway and Carol Murphy.
In the 8th District, Democratic Rep. Rob Menendez — the senator’s son — was seeking re-election against Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who during the campaign sought to link the incumbent to his embattled father.
