Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has submitted his campaign paperwork to state elections officials as he prepares to defend his New Jersey Senate seat as an independent. In a Facebook post, Menendez announced his third-party bid, stating that the people of New Jersey deserve a leader in Washington with a proven track record of delivering results. He is currently standing trial on federal corruption charges, accused of accepting bribes while serving as a US senator.
Despite the ongoing trial, Menendez expressed confidence in his innocence and stated that he will be found not guilty. He believes that his innocence is being portrayed inaccurately in the press and is confident that both New Jerseyans and the rest of the American public will see him exonerated. Menendez chose not to run in the June 4 Democratic primary, which is expected to be won by progressive Rep. Andy Kim.
If Menendez is able to qualify for the race, polls suggest that his support would cut into Kim’s margin over the Republican nominee in a three-way race. Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner and developer Curtis Bashaw are among the GOP candidates competing for the nomination in Tuesday’s primary.
Menendez has stated that he will run for re-election as an “independent Democrat.” He is accused of accepting bribes totaling more than $600,000 in cash and gold bars in exchange for favors to three wealthy New Jersey businessmen. Additionally, he has been accused of acting as a foreign agent while in a leadership position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Menendez has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintained his innocence throughout the trial.
Despite the challenges he is facing, Menendez remains hopeful and looks forward to putting these accusations behind him. He expressed his commitment to continuing to work for his constituents and hopes to be re-elected to the Senate once again.
