Menendez challenger says Democrats are ’embarrassed’ by his corruption allegations

The Republican looking to unseat New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez (D) says the senator’s own party is “embarrassed” to support him following his battle against corruption charges.

In an interview with AM 970 “The Answer” in New York, Bob Hugin (R) says that Menendez’s fight against corruption charges originally filed by the Justice Department during the Obama administration have left the Democratic senator open for possible defeat in next week’s midterm elections, despite New Jersey’s history as a blue state.

{mosads}”The overriding issue on top of the affordability [of New Jersey] is that the people just feel they’ve been embarrassed,” Hugin told host John Catsimatidis.

“A guy who has not only just violated federal law, abused the power of his office, disgraced the Senate. And that was cited by the Senate Ethics Committee, bipartisanly, Democrats and Republicans, that he has just failed after 25 years in Washington,” Hugin added.

“He’s embarrassed us. It’s a disgrace. A moral failure. It’s time for change. And that’s what is resonating with the people of New Jersey.”

Menendez was spared from further prosecution in January when the Justice Department filed to have his indictment dismissed after months of court battles resulting in a deadlocked jury.

He announced a bid for reelection later in 2018, while Republicans looked to the seat as a possible pickup as the GOP attempts to maintain control of the Senate in next week’s midterms.

A poll of the New Jersey Senate race this week found the Democratic incumbent leading Hugin by 5 percentage points.