NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is kicking off a campaign for a third term just two months after federal prosecutors dropped corruption charges against him.
The 64-year-old New Jersey Democrat will hold events Wednesday in his hometown of Union City, where he was once mayor, and in southern New Jersey.
Menendez was charged in 2015 with trading his political influence for gifts and campaign donations from a friend. His trial ended in a hung jury last fall, and prosecutors decided in January not to retry him.
He still faces a Senate ethics probe.
Menendez had always said he intended to seek a third term, even when a second trial loomed.
A retired pharmaceutical executive with millions of his own money to spend is seeking the GOP nomination.
Somebody, anybody please! Primary this son of a bitch! He needs to go.
I want this guy to be primaried hard.
I know. You figure the ethics trial would have damaged him and encouraged a primary challenge. Plus he takes the right most positions on the Iran Nuclear agreement as well as on Cuba policy.
I don’t dislike the guy, but this is just selfish. Running for reelection is a terrible, awful idea and he should be vigorously primaried. Even if he’s completely innocent he’s still a very bad look for the party at a time when we really need to be putting our best foot forward.