The guilty verdict for New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez on federal bribery and corruption charges has concluded the nine-week courtroom drama. However, speculation is mounting about who Governor Phil Murphy will appoint to replace the scandal-ridden Democrat.
Menendez, 70, convicted on 16 felony counts for accepting bribes from New Jersey businessmen with connections to the Egyptian and Qatari governments, could legally remain in office under the Constitution. Despite this, a growing number of senators are demanding his resignation, and he could potentially be expelled from the Senate with a two-thirds majority vote.
Murphy, who urged Menendez to resign following his conviction on Tuesday, stated he would choose a “temporary appointment” to complete the remainder of the senator’s term once the seat is vacated.
Here are some names that New Jersey political watchers believe could be chosen to fill a vacated Senate seat:
Rep. Andy Kim The congressman for New Jersey’s 3rd District is viewed as Murphy’s most logical pick, according to pundits.
Kim, 41, who recently won the competitive Democratic primary to replace Menendez, would benefit from a brief incumbency advantage in the November race. He will be seeking a full six-year term to replace Menendez, who is also running as an independent in a long-shot bid for a fourth term, Democratic insiders said.
The interim Senate role would also grant Kim seniority over other freshman senators elected in November, positioning him advantageously for committee seats that would most benefit New Jersey, said Ross Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University.
However, Murphy may have reasons to overlook Kim for the interim appointment, primarily due to the bad blood between Kim and Murphy after Kim defeated the governor’s wife, First Lady Tammy Murphy, in the fiercely contested primary race, insiders and experts noted.
“In New Jersey politics, everything’s personal, and Andy Kim, for all his virtues, is the man who challenged Tammy Murphy,” Baker said.
Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way Way, whom Murphy appointed as his administration’s third lieutenant governor last year, is considered a sensible placeholder pick, according to Democratic sources. Way, 52, who also serves as New Jersey’s Secretary of State, has successfully transitioned into her new role within the administration. She is regarded as “someone [the governor] is comfortable with and who will understand the role she is being asked to fulfill,” according to one Democratic insider.
“They don’t expect her to, one, run [for office], and two, do anything without consulting the governor’s office in DC,” the insider added.
Patricia Campos-Medina Labor leader Patricia Campos-Medina, who also competed against Kim for the Democratic Party’s Senate nomination in June, has been mentioned by operatives as a potential interim appointee and has reportedly shown interest in the role.
Campos-Medina, 51, whose family fled civil war in El Salvador, campaigned on representing the interests of Black and Latino voters and on strengthening reproductive rights and union protections. However, she secured only 16% of the Democratic primary vote.
