Republicans are confident of their chances of capturing a US Senate seat in New Jersey because of the scandal that has engulfed opposing Sen. Robert Menendez — the party’s best chance to win in the Garden State in decades, GOPers told The Post Saturday.
“I really believe the Republicans — for the first time in a long time — have a chance,” said Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Atlantic City). “You see Democrats coming out saying he should resign, they’re scared. They will do everything they can to try to get it out.”
He continued: “I think people in New Jersey might be ready for a conservative populist.”
Van Drew said he has been inundated with calls from New Jersey residents to throw his hat in the ring and that he is considering the idea.
Democrat Kyle Jasey, a Jersey City real estate entrepreneur, and Republican Christine Serrano Glassner, the mayor of Mendham Borough, had already announced before Menendez’s indictment.
Menendez, 69, and his wife were both indicted Friday on federal corruption charges, including allegedly taking more than $600,000 in bribes from a group of New Jersey businessmen to benefit them and advance the interests of the Egyptian government.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has called on the senator to resign.
Menendez’s resignation would allow the Democratic governor to appoint a successor ahead of the 2024 election, in which Menendez’s seat will be contested.
But Menendez has called the allegations a “smear campaign,” only to relinquish his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, vowing for now to stay — something Republicans will be especially pleased to see.
Senator Robert Menendez faces growing calls to resign over corruption allegations.REUTERS
Senator Menendez has beaten federal charges before and is known as a survivor. WILL OLIVER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
“We are watching the New Jersey Senate race very closely,” said Mike Berg, representative for
The National Republican Senatorial Committee oversees the party’s Senate prospects.
Menendez is likely to face a bruising primary test from Dems desperate to keep the alleged pol off the 2024 ballot.
Already on Saturday, Rep. Andy Kim (DN.J.) said he would vote for Menendez in the wake of the scandal.
What we know about Bob Menendez’s allegations
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is facing federal corruption charges related to the alleged years-long scheme.
Menendez is accused of accepting bribes, including gold bars, in exchange for helping three businessmen, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, and the Egyptian state, according to officials.
Menendez and his wife, Nadine, allegedly accepted hundreds of thousands in bribes, according to a Manhattan federal indictment.
When the feds raided Menendez’s Englewood Cliffs home in June 2022, they found a 2019 Mercedes C-Class, at least 13 gold bars and $566,000 in cash “stuffed in an envelope”. Another $70,000 in cash was found in Nadine’s safe.
Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife, Nadine Menendez, have been indicted on federal corruption charges.AP
The feds said Menendez also received mortgage payments and paid for low or absent work and home furnishings.
This is not the first time the 69-year-old Democrat has faced federal corruption charges. In 2015, Menendez was accused of taking gifts from Florida eye surgeon Salomon Melgen.
“Gifts” include a vacation to Paris, a flight on a private jet and a holiday at Melgen’s villa in the Dominican Republic.
“After the call to resign, Senator Menendez said ‘I’m not going anywhere.’ As a result, I feel compelled to run against him,” said Kim on X, previously on Twitter.
“Not something I expected, but NJ deserves better. We cannot compromise the Senate or compromise our integrity,” added Kim, who the day before called on Menendez to resign.
But Menendez is a political survivor and successfully beat federal corruption charges six years ago — remaining in the Senate the entire time.
Republicans hope the scandal surrounding Menendez’s seat will favor the 2024 election in New Jersey.AP
“Those who believe in justice believe in innocence until proven guilty,” Menendez said on Friday. “I intend to continue to fight for the people of New Jersey with the same success that I have for the past five decades.
New Jersey’s changes add to Republicans’ growing confidence that the red wave that failed to materialize in 2022 could happen in 2024.
Even with Menendez’s problems, the GOP will still face a tough challenge in the state. New Jersey is solid blue and has not elected a Republican senator since Clifford P. Case in 1972.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
