Our next election preview is the 2024 New Jersey Senate race, and we will do it in four minutes or less.
It is not every day that an incumbent United States Senator is running for re-election but could, if anything, be a spoiler candidate. Nevertheless, that is exactly where we are in New Jersey: Sen. Bob Menendez (D) is running for re-election despite his recent federal convictions, but decided to run as an independent.
Editor’s Note: Menendez announced his resignation from the Senate, effective August 20, 2024.
2024 New Jersey Senate Race Preview
2024 New Jersey Senate Race Candidates
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- Andy Kim (D)
- Curtis Bashaw (R)
Bob Menendez (I)*(resigning August 20)- Ken Kaplan (Lbt)
- Christina Khalil (Grn)
- Joanne Kuniansky (SWP)
- Patricia Mooneyham (I)
What Now That Menendez Is Resigning?
Bob Menendez would have lost the Democratic primary if he ran in it, so he filed to run as an independent. Then, following his conviction, a potential prison sentence and likely expulsion from the Senate hung over his political head. As if voters were not already turned off in the Garden State, either one of those two things – and both may occur – would have ended whatever independent campaign he planned to run, anyway.
New Jersey is a true-blue Democratic state at the federal level. The last time New Jersey elected a Republican to the Senate was in 1972, as Clifford Case was re-elected for the final time. At that, he was a more liberal Republican. Not to say New Jersey avoids all Republicans, because Chris Christie’s governorship was not too long ago, but for the most part.
Menendez likely would not have taken more than a few percent off of Rep. Andy Kim, the Democratic nominee. Had Menendez stayed in the race, he would have come in a distant third as Kim won his old seat. Now, with Menendez gone from the race, Kim will have little difficulty getting elected New Jersey’s next senator.
