By Raul Castillo
May 30, 2024, 18:33 PM EDT
Senator Bob Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, has managed to collect the signatures necessary to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming Senate elections, despite facing trial on federal bribery charges, sources told NBC News.
Menéndez has far exceeded the 800 signatures required before June 4, with the goal of reaching close to 10,000 signatures to demonstrate the level of support he still retains, the media published.
Senator Menendez, who is currently on trial for 18 counts of bribery and corruption, has been mobilizing his supporters to collect signatures throughout New Jersey.
A source close to Menéndez’s campaign indicated that the senator sees the number of signatures as a statement of his continued popular support, despite his legal problems.
One of the people involved in collecting signatures, Agustín García, an old friend of Menéndez, organized about 20 people, including members of the Lambda Theta Phi fraternity, to help with the task. García highlighted that Menéndez continues to have strong support among the state’s Latino voters, who value his track record in defending his rights, according to NBC News.
Legal and political challenges
Menéndez’s trial, which has just entered its third week and is expected to last until July, does not prevent the senator from continuing his campaign for re-election.
The media details that according to New Jersey state law, any voter can sign a petition for independent candidacy as long as they have not already signed a petition for one of the two main parties. This has allowed Menéndez to mobilize a broad spectrum of support, even as he faces serious charges that could affect her political career.
If Menendez wins his independent bid, he would face Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, considered the favorite to replace him, and a Republican candidate. The June 4 primary will decide the nominees of both parties, with Kim competing against Patricia Campos-Medina and several Republicans in the race for his party’s nomination.
Impact on the election
Menendez’s independent candidacy could also have implications for his son, Rep. Robert Menendez Jr., who is running for re-election in a competitive primary on the same day.
Sources close to the senator suggested to NBC that Menéndez Sr. decided to run as an independent to prevent his candidacy from harming the chances of his son, who has already been the subject of attack ads related to his father’s case.
García commented that many Democrats in the state have been quietly helping Menéndez with his re-election campaign.
Joseph Barreto, founder of the New Jersey SOMOS Political Action Committee, noted that Menendez still has significant influence in the state due to his years of service and the relationships he has built.
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