Hugin raises $16.2 million for U.S. Senate race

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Hugin has $8.1 million cash-on-hand in his bid to unseat Democratic Bob Menendez, according to preliminary data provided by the Hugin campaign.

Since April 1, the retired pharmaceutical company executive has loaned his campaign $8 million, bringing his total personal investment to $15.6 million since the start of the year.   Hugin raised an additional $572,000 in the second quarter, bringing his fundraising total to just about $1.2 million.

Hugin spent $4.9 million over the last three months, and has spent a little under $8.6 million on his campaign so far.

“Our campaign has and will continue to educate voters on the tale of two Bobs from Union City. We are confident that New Jersey voters will elect Bob Hugin, a former Marine and successful business leader, and give our state a Senator we can be proud of again,” said Hugin communications director Megan Piwowar.

Hugin won the Republican nomination with 75% of the vote, winning endorsements from all 21 county GOP organization.

The avalanche of Hugin campaign spending, heavily geared toward calling attention to Menendez’s 2017 trial, has led to a tightening of the race.

The Menendez campaign issued a statement on Wednesday morning accusing Hugin of trying to buy the election.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story reported that Hugin had spent a little under $9.6 million so far.  The actual number is $8.6 million.)