Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) introduced Saturday he would problem indicted Sen. Bob Menendez, turning into the primary main intraparty challenger to emerge since Menendez insisted he would no longer step down within the face of fees he approved bribes from 3 businessmen.
“After calls to renounce, Senator Menendez mentioned ‘I’m really not going anyplace,’” Kim wrote at the social media web page previously referred to as Twitter. “Consequently, I believe pressured to run in opposition to him. No longer one thing I anticipated to do, however NJ merits higher. We can’t jeopardize the Senate or compromise our integrity.”
Following the unsealing of the Justice Division’s indictment of Menendez on Friday, main New Jersey Democrats, together with Gov. Phil Murphy, have referred to as for him to renounce from his publish. Menendez was once in the past charged in a unique corruption scandal, although the Justice Division dropped the fees after a hung jury resulted in a mistrial in 2017.
In a commentary Friday evening, Menendez angrily beat again requires him to depart place of work.
“It’s not misplaced on me how temporarily some are dashing to pass judgement on a Latino and push him out of his seat,” he mentioned. “I’m really not going anyplace.”
Kim, now in his 3rd time period, is probably not the one Democrat involved in difficult Menendez, and a resignation would virtually without a doubt result in a crowded number one in safely Democratic New Jersey. Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer may additionally input the competition.
Menendez, who has no longer formally introduced he intends to run for reelection, additionally has two lesser-known challengers from the GOP: consulting company proprietor Shirley Maia-Cusick and Christine Serrano Glassner, the mayor of suburban Mendham Borough.