![]() The Fairleigh Dickinson pollsters attributed the results largely to the allegations that Menendez accepted undisclosed gifts from wealthy Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen in exchange for official favors. It showed only a 4 percentage point edge for Menendez, with 46 percent of registered voters undecided. A separate Fairleigh Dickinson University survey taken last month raised eyebrows, though. Quinnipiac University and Monmouth University polls in March and April found advantages of 17 and 21 percentage points, respectively, for Menendez over Hugin. Nonpartisan election analysis sites Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball both rate the seat as "likely" Democratic, while another nonpartisan site, Inside Elections, considers it "solid" Democratic. The New Jersey race as of now appears to favor Menendez, 64. The GOP aims to keep or expand its 51 to 49 seat majority in the chamber. Democrats and independents who caucus with them are defending 26 Senate seats in November, most of those in states with a more Republican tilt than New Jersey. Already, Hugin and national GOP groups have relentlessly targeted Menendez for his ethics issues, while the senator's campaign has hit Hugin for Celgene's cancer drug price hikes while he led the company.Ī competitive race in New Jersey, which has not elected a Republican to the Senate in more than three decades, would have major implications for control of the Senate and the agenda the chamber pursues next year. The men are expected to win comfortably, however, and have already turned their attention to one another in what could become a nasty race. "So this wasn't my life's dream to do this, but I just felt both an opportunity and a responsibility to ensure the people of New Jersey have a choice about the direction of the state and the country," he added.īoth Hugin and Menendez face opponents in their Senate primaries Tuesday. ![]() "We were originally morally outraged and offended, and if I didn't step in, who was going to step in to make sure that people in New Jersey had a choice? It's bad for democracy," Hugin said, arguing Menendez has a "character issue." He says he ran partly on a commitment to give back to New Jersey, and is undaunted by the challenge of facing a Democratic incumbent in a blue state during a year in which Democratic voter turnout is expected to be strong. In an interview, Hugin cast himself as a "different kind of Republican" who would promote bipartisan health-care policy and could differ with President Donald Trump on issues such as immigration. ![]() ![]() Seeking to break through in a state friendly to Democrats, Hugin has tried to spread his message far and wide. A Hugin campaign ad questioning Menendez's moral fitness for office came on a TV there while the GOP candidate spoke to CNBC. His media campaign even followed him into the restaurant. As Hugin entered the Peppercorn diner in his hometown of Summit, New Jersey, last week, a waitress quickly exclaimed that she recognized him from the TV ads. The political newcomer has already piled $7.5 million of his own money into his campaign to blanket the airwaves with his message. ![]()
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