Bob Menendez filed to seek re-election as an independent today, preserving the option of salvaging his seat in the United States Senate if the jury in his federal corruption trial does not return a guilty verdict.
Nominating petitions filed for Menendez with the New Jersey Division of Elections today had 2,465 signatures, more than three times the minimum number he needs to qualify for a place on the general election ballot.
“Today, I submitted well above the threshold of signatures required to run for re-election. The people of this great state deserve a leader in Washington with a proven track record of fighting tooth and nail to deliver results, and I intend to keep doing so as an independent Democrat. It displeases me to have to go this route, thanks to overzealous prosecutors, but I will do what must be done to continue to uphold my oath of office for my constituents,” Menendez said. “Simply put, I have delivered for New Jersey and will continue to do so. I look forward to putting these accusations behind me and getting back to work for my constituents.”
“Despite what is portrayed in the press, my innocence continues to be laid out in court. As I have said before; I have committed no crime. I am more confident than ever that New Jerseyans and the rest of the American public will see me exonerated of what I am being accused of, and I will be re-elected to the Senate once again.”
Menendez telegraphed his intentions in March when he announced that he would not run in the Democratic primary but would instead consider mounting an independent bid for a fourth term.
He had little choice at the time: much of the state’s political establishment, including Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Senator Cory Booker, called for his resignation on the same day the Justice Department unsealed its indictment.
Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown), the likely winner of the Democratic primary for Menendez’s seat, was the first to call for Menendez to leave the Senate, and announced is own run the following today.
Today, Kim slapped Menendez’s independent bid.
“Americans are fed up with politicians putting their own personal benefit ahead of what’s right for the country. Everyone knows Bob Menendez isn’t running for the people of New Jersey, he’s doing it for himself,” said Kim. “It’s beyond time for change, and I’m stepping up to restore integrity back into the U.S. Senate.”
Democratic State Chairman LeRoy Jones, Jr. said he still believes Menendez should resign.
“When the allegations contained in the indictment were released in September 2023, I was clear that Senator Menendez should resign from his Senate seat. My position has not changed,” he stated. “I would urge the Senator to reconsider his decision today, resign, and devote his energies to his legal defense and his family.”
If acquitted, Menendez’s presence on the ballot potentially puts the New Jersey Senate seat in play for the first time in 22 years.
The New Jersey Globe first reported that Menendez is circulating petitions – in some cases gathering signatures on his own. He also activated a group of old friends from his 1980s campaigns, including Matteo Perez, Sr., to help him. NBC News reported last week that Menendez had obtained the 800 signatures he needed.