NJ Senate race 2018: Where Bob Menendez and Bob Hugin stand on top issues
New Jersey has not elected a Republican to represent it in the U.S. Senate since 1972. And despite a possible Democratic wave breaking in November's midterm congressional elections and significant advantages for that party over Republicans here, the GOP is closer than many expected with a political rookie running against a two-term incumbent with a decades-long résumé listing nearly every major elected office in New Jersey.
But that Democratic incumbent is Bob Menendez. He's spent much of his second Senate term battling back federal corruption charges in a case that featured claims of political favors for a trusted donor and lurid tales of models and trips to luxury resorts in the Dominican Republic. Potential voters heard those details and more in a trial that lasted weeks but ended in a hung jury, a judge's acquittal on several charges and a decision by prosecutors not to launch a retrial.
And the GOP challenger this time is Bob Hugin, a former Marine who amassed a fortune as a pharmaceutical executive now willing to spend at least $24 million of that money for a campaign attacking Menendez as unfit, an attack line that needs to overcome the state's deep dislike for Republican President Donald Trump.
Outside groups have been spending money for and against both candidates, with a surprising $3 million late in the race from a national Democratic super PAC to back Menendez. Usually, money from donors goes out of New Jersey to such groups to be spent in competitive races elsewhere in the country.
Nationally, Democrats need to win 23 Republican-held seats to take control of the House of Representatives. Campaign handicapper Nathan Gonzales at Inside Elections says 78 Republican-held seats are in play nationally, including 15 in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania alone.
Election Day 2018:Where to vote, who is running, and where do they stand on the issues?
Is Senate race too close for comfort?:Democrats spending $3 million to help Menendez in Jersey
More on the candidates:What you need to know about Bob Hugin and Bob Menendez
On the Senate side, 35 seats are up for election. Democrats hold 26 of them, Republicans nine. For Democrats to take an edge in the Senate, they would need to win all 26 of those seats and take two from the Republicans. That math made the Menendez seat one to watch, given the challenge mounted by Hugin and the drag on his poll numbers after the corruption trial. Polls lately put the match at an advantage for Menendez, but closer than in similar elections for Democrats in New Jersey.
Here's a look at the two major party candidates for U.S. Senate in New Jersey.
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Bob Hugin
Age: 64
Hometown: Summit
Family: Married, three children
Religion: United Methodist
Education: A.B., Princeton University; M.B.A. University of Virginia
Experience: U.S. Marine Corps, 1976-1983, left as captain; Marine reservist, 1983-1990, left as major; J.P. Morgan, 1985-1999, left as managing director; Celgene Corp., 1999-2018, started as senior vice president and chief financial officer; became president and chief operating officer 2006; chief executive officer, 2010; chairman of the board, 2011; executive chairman, 2016; retired in January.
Financials: Through Sept. 30, raised $2.2 million, lent campaign $24 million, spent $22.7 million, had $3.5 million on hand. Outside groups, including super PACs, have spent $428,000 supporting him and $4.5 million opposing him.
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On the issues
Gun rights: "I’m a big believer in the Constitution and the protection of our civil constitutional rights. But I think New Jersey has strong anti-gun laws, or strong gun-control laws, which I think I’m supportive of. I believe teachers and children should be our priority, and safety is our No. 1 issue ... I believe in sportsman’s rights, rights to own the gun. I think you have to look at the specifics of legislation to make sure it’s appropriate, but I’d always side with teachers and children as my first priority.” — interview with USA TODAY Network New Jersey
Health care: “I can tell you so many examples of small pockets, small places in our state where people are doing it well, where people are getting good care at reasonable cost. We need to do that for everybody. We have to find a way to deliver health care better so people can focus on staying healthy as opposed to only when they get sick do they get the kind of care that they need.” — interview with USA TODAY Network New Jersey
More on Hugin:In the age of Trump, Bob Hugin tries to win as a moderate Republican
Immigration: "We need to fix our immigration system in a comprehensive and compassionate way. That means securing our borders, opposing so-called Sanctuary Cities, and supporting law enforcement as they keep our communities safe. It also means creating a path to citizenship for Dreamers and immigrants who may not have come here legally, but are building productive and constructive lives in America." — campaign website.
Abortion rights: "I am pro-choice, pro-marriage equality, and strongly support equal pay for equal work. Politicians would rather point fingers. I will be different." — campaign ad, nomination speech
Mueller investigation: “I’m a big believer in transparency and getting questions answered. I think the Mueller investigation needs to come to conclusion; it’s been going on a long time, but it should be brought to conclusion. The American people deserve answers of questions of whether — I do believe, I have no knowledge, but I do believe the Russians attempted and interfered in our election, which is illegal. I don’t believe they’ve affected the outcome from what I’ve heard or seen or anything." — interview with USA TODAY Network New Jersey
Bob Menendez
Hometown: Union City, lives in Harrison
Age: 64
Family: Divorced, two children
Religion: Catholic
Education: B.A., political science and urban studies, St. Peter's University; J.D., Rutgers Law School
Experience: Mayor, Union City, 1986-92: New Jersey Assembly, 1987-91; New Jersey state Senate, 1991-93; U.S. House of Representatives, 1993-2006; appointed to Senate in January 2006, elected in November; re-elected 2012; top-ranking Democrat and former chairman, Senate Foreign Relations Committee; also serves on Finance Committee.
Financials: Through Sept. 30, raised $11.1 million, spent $7.6 million, had $5.6 million on hand. Outside groups, including super PACs, have spent $23,000 supporting him and $3.2 million opposing him.
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On the issues
Gun rights: Supports tighter controls on "military-style assault weapons," proposed ban on high-capacity magazines. “These military-style weapons and their capacity magazines don’t belong on our streets,” Menendez said in a March public appearance.
Health care: Supported the Affordable Care Act. "Bob will continue fighting to defend and improve the Affordable Care Act while building on its success by working across the aisle so that millions of Americans can receive affordable coverage." — campaign website
Immigration: One of six Republican and Democratic senators to negotiate a deal for DACA, the program that allowed for some people who came to the country as children to avoid deportation and obtain a work permit. Calls for work to "support new immigration policies that promote fairness, accountability and family unity" while working toward comprehensive immigration reform. — Senate website.
More on Menendez:After corruption trial, Bob Menendez's relationship with voters is complicated
Abortion rights: Supports abortion right, endorsed by Planned Parenthood; opposed Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court in part because that would be "a vote to make abortion illegal." — Senate website
Mueller investigation: Backed appointment of special prosecutor and called for an investigation that "has the necessary resources, free of conflicts of interests and shielded from partisan politics." Has introduced measures to boost sanctions on Russia. "That Russia tried to affect our election, and is trying to affect our elections right now, should be an outrage, from the average citizen to the president of the United States. ... It creates outrage for me as somebody who’s up for election in 2018 and is banned by Putin from Russia because of the Ukraine sanctions that I passed. I’m a great target for their next efforts," Menendez said in April.