# 2018 NJ Senate - Menendez / Hugin **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 23, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-nj-senate-menendez-hugin/821787 "2018-09-23T17:00:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amfet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Amfet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amfet)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-nj-senate-menendez-hugin/821787/1 "2018-09-23T17:00:52Z")
Time to turn to the wisdom of the SDMB for help with the NJ Senate race. My search of the forum came up empty on this, sorry if I missed something. I don’t often start threads, but here goes. (I hope I’m not just venting here.) I don’t want to support either candidate, and there is no viable third option. What’s the best move for a Progressive Independent voter? Am I being too hard on Menendez? I feel like the Democrats should have dropped him like a hot rock. Some background; [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/16/nyregion/senator-robert-menendez-corruption.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/16/nyregion/senator-robert-menendez-corruption.html) > [@](#): > > Mr. Menendez and his friend Dr. Salomon Melgen, the ophthalmologist, were charged in an 18-count indictment. Dr. Melgen faced 11 charges, including conspiracy, bribery and honest services fraud. Mr. Menendez faced similar charges plus an additional charge of making false statements on his Senate financial disclosure forms. Mr. Menendez was accused of helping Dr. Melgen on certain issues in exchange for lavish gifts and political contributions. > > Though vindicated for now, Mr. Menendez could still be retried by federal prosecutors with a new trial unfolding next year in the midst of a possible re-election campaign, but prosecutors would still have to contend with a landmark Supreme Court decision that makes it harder to prove an elected official engaged in bribery. [https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/crime–law/eye-doc-melgen-guilty-one-nation-biggest-medicare-fraud-cases/gJHQAY0FO39DSrKXoMtUfM/](https://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/crime--law/eye-doc-melgen-guilty-one-nation-biggest-medicare-fraud-cases/gJHQAY0FO39DSrKXoMtUfM/) > [@](#): > > Chalking up one of the biggest health-care fraud convictions in the nation, a federal jury on Friday convicted Palm Beach County retinal specialist Dr. Salomon Melgen of 67 charges for operating what prosecutors called a massive scheme that robbed Medicare out of as much as $105 million. > > … > > Having been convicted of crimes that could send him to prison for as long as 20 years, Melgen also faces a Sept. 6 trial on corruption charges in New Jersey with U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. Through his lawyer, the political heavyweight issued a statement saying “he is saddened for his long-time friend and is thinking of his family on this difficult day.” [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bob-menendez-hugin-new-jersey\_us\_5ba40175e4b0375f8f9b6272](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bob-menendez-hugin-new-jersey_us_5ba40175e4b0375f8f9b6272) > [@](#): > > A Quinnipiac poll released in late August showed Menendez ahead of Hugin by just 6 percentage points ― a concerning data point given that registered Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans in New Jersey, that Menendez cruised to re-election in 2012 and that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton carried the state by nearly 15 points in 2016. [https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2018/05/22/in-trump-country-hugin-distances-himself-from-trump-432675](https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2018/05/22/in-trump-country-hugin-distances-himself-from-trump-432675) > [@](#): > > But for all of Menendez’s baggage, being a pro-Trump Republican in New Jersey may be even worse. Hugin was a Trump delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention, was finance chairman for Trump’s New Jersey campaign and donated $100,000 to a pro-Trump super PAC and more than $100,000 to the Republican National Committee after Trump became its de facto nominee. The Democratic party leaders are still backing Menendez but in my book this only tarnishes their own reputations. Both Cory Booker and Gov. Phil Murphy are supporting him. Booker was quoted in today’s local [paper](https://www.app.com/story/news/columnists/charles-stile/2018/09/23/senate-2018-bob-menendez-running-but-cory-booker-has-star-power/1380908002/) saying, “New Jersey (and the nation) cannot afford to send another Republican to the Senate to back President Donald Trump’s ruinous agenda.” I agree with Booker, but we can’t afford to send corrupt politicians either… ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-nj-senate-menendez-hugin/821787/2 "2018-09-23T17:32:49Z")
Menendez appears to be corrupt through and through. He should have done the right thing and not run at all, let someone new represent NJ. I can’t stand that guy – basically got off on a technicality. If the senate weren’t so close, I would seriously consider voting for the Republican this time – NJ Republicans are usually not as right wing as those from redder states. They typically accept global warming, for example (don’t know about Hugin). Christine Whitman and even, God help me, Chris Christie are nothing like Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Louie Gohmert. That said, your choices are D or R. If you’re really a progressive independent and you’re worried about Republican control of the Senate on any progressive agenda, you basically have to vote for Menendez. That’s what I’m going to do – hold my nose and vote for the crook. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-nj-senate-menendez-hugin/821787/3 "2018-09-23T18:12:04Z")
I think the best available option is to vote for Menendez, and then pressure him to resign in favor of a replacement appointed by the Democratic governor (is that how it works in New Jersey?). ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-nj-senate-menendez-hugin/821787/4 "2018-09-23T18:15:59Z")
Damn, I’m glad I don’t live in NJ. I suppose I would probably vote for Menendez if I did, since at this particular moment in history I feel like the numbers matter more than the character of individual legislators, but I would HATE it, not least because it would make me wonder whether I was, in fact, any better than the people who reflexively voted for Trump because he had an R next to his name.