Sen. Bob Menendez Files for Reelection As Independent Amid Corruption Trial

redstate.com

A New Jersey Democrat is a Democrat no more after filing to run as an independent.

Senator Bob Menendez, who is currently facing trial on major corruption charges, is adamant that he is going to run for reelection, despite the scandal. Recently, Menendez announced he would not be running in the Democratic Party primary.

But he is still the incumbent, which is a natural advantage in most election cycles, and can definitely split the Democratic vote in the general election for senator, which is coming up in November.

Asked on his way into court Monday if he’s changing political parties, Menendez said in Spanish, “no, independent doesn’t mean I’m changing.”

Later Monday, Menendez told reporters who asked him about his run that he’d done a lot for the state of New Jersey, particularly during the pandemic and after Superstorm Sandy.

Menendez listed his party in documents filed with the state as “Menendez for Senate.”

The political stakes are high, given the Democrats’ narrow control in the Senate, where New Jersey is normally safely in Democratic hands. It’s unclear how much support Menendez could siphon from U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, who is in a favorable position to win the Democratic primary, which ends Tuesday. The GOP hasn’t won a U.S. Senate election in the state since 1972.

An indictment unveiled in September of 2023 revealed allegations that the senator and his wife, along with three businessmen – Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes – accepted substantial bribes…