The New Jersey election results are coming in, with Rep. Andy Kim projected to win the Democratic New Jersey Senate primary for the seat currently held by federally indicted Sen. Bob Menendez. Kim is expected to face Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw in the November election. Despite Menendez’s ongoing bribery trial, he has turned in more than 2,000 signatures to run as an independent Democrat. Kim expressed the need for fair choices for the people of New Jersey, highlighting the frustration among voters due to Menendez’s legal troubles.
Kim faced competition from union organizer Patricia Campos Medina and activist Larry Hamm in the Democratic primary. On the Republican side, businessman Curtis Bashaw was projected to win against Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner and former Tabernacle Deputy Mayor Justin Murphy. The Republican party sees Menendez’s independent run as a potential advantage for them, considering the slim majority Democrats hold in the Senate. Bashaw focused his campaign on issues like high inflation, job creation, border security, and support for law enforcement.
Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by about one million in New Jersey, making it traditionally challenging for Republicans to win a Senate seat. Menendez, along with his wife and two business associates, have pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to bribery. A third business associate has pleaded guilty and agreed to testify for prosecutors. GOP leaders were initially optimistic about their chances of winning the Senate seat after Menendez’s indictment, but hopes dimmed when Menendez decided to run as an independent. The GOP is hoping that Democratic voters may be divided enough to give them an advantage in the fall election.
Rep. Andy Kim is a three-term congressman known for his efforts in cleaning up the Capitol after the January 6, 2021 insurrection. He returned to his home state of New Jersey in 2018 to run for Congress, defeating Republican Tom MacArthur in the 3rd District. Kim is a Rhodes Scholar who served in the Obama administration as a national security adviser. He believes it is time for the state to move forward and is focusing on providing fair choices for the people of New Jersey. The race also saw Tammy Murphy, the wife of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, briefly entering the primary but dropping out later.
The election results in New Jersey will have significant implications for both parties, with Democrats looking to maintain their control of the Senate seat and Republicans hoping to capitalize on Menendez’s legal troubles. The race is heating up as the candidates make their case to voters on key issues like job creation, border security, and law enforcement support. With a crowded field of candidates and high stakes involved, the November election in New Jersey is shaping up to be closely watched and highly contested.
