Indicted Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has collected the necessary signatures to run for re-election to the Senate as an independent, five people familiar with the matter told NBC News.
Menendez needs 800 signatures by June 4 to gain ballot access in November and hopes to reach closer to 10,000 signatures by that date, according to three sources with knowledge of his plans.
One of the sources, who previously worked for Menendez, said the senator, who is currently on trial on federal bribery charges, wants the number of signatures to be a “statement” in and of itself, “to show the level of support he still has.”
If successful, Menendez would likely face off against New Jersey Democratic Rep. Andy Kim — who is considered to be the front-runner in the race to replace him — and a Republican. The primary, in which Kim will face Patricia Campos-Medina and several Republicans will face off for their party’s nomination, is June 4.
Anthony DeAngelo, Kim’s senior adviser, told NBC News in a statement, “People are fed up with a broken political system that only benefits the well-off and well-connected and fuels corruption. Voters deserve better and they’ll have a chance to vote for change next week and this November.”
Menendez and his wife, Nadine Menendez, have been charged with 18 counts of bribery and corruption. The former chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee was accused by prosecutors of acting as a foreign agent and stepped down from leading the panel while the trial against him proceeds.
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