Sen. Menendez Rallies Support From LGBT Voters: 2018 Election

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — As he gears up for the final legs of his quest to keep a seat in the U.S. Senate, Hudson County native Bob Menendez is reaching out to New Jersey’s LGBT population with a message: “This election has never mattered more.”

Earlier this week, Menendez - the incumbent in the 2018 U.S. Senate race in New Jersey - visited the Hudson Pride Center in Jersey City for a roundtable meeting with members of the local nonprofit, which serves as an advocate for both the LGBT and HIV/AIDS communities in Hudson County.

Sitting down with dozens of community members, Menendez fielded questions and spoke about his efforts on LGBT-related legislation, being an “informed” voter, health care reform and the issues facing older adult LGBT persons (watch the full video below).

Last month, Menendez also picked up a key endorsement from Garden State Equality (GSE), the largest LGBT advocacy organization in New Jersey.

"As a proven leader who stood up for the LGBTQ community for years, Bob Menendez is the clear choice for New Jersey’s fair-minded voters and LGBTQ residents," said Christian Fuscarino, GSE executive director. "Senator Menendez has shown himself to be an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community."

Fuscarino added:

"In his interview with Garden State Equality, Menendez not only spoke passionately of his ground-breaking work 30+ years ago advancing hate crimes and anti-bias laws to protect the LGBTQ community, but also of the personal sting of discrimination that he experienced as a Hispanic minority in his youth."

After receiving the GSE endorsement, Menendez emphasized that America was founded upon the principles of equal rights and opportunity for all.

“That is why I have consistently fought to ensure everyone—regardless of their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or station in life—has an equal shot at achieving their dreams and God-given ability,” Menendez said. “I am proud to have the support of Garden State Equality, an organization that has accomplished so much for New Jersey’s LGBTQ community. Together, we will continue to fight the Trump Administration's efforts to roll back and undermine LGBTQ rights and equal protections under the law, because this election has never mattered more.”

Recent polls show an unexpectedly tight race between Menendez, the Democratic Party nominee, and Bob Hugin, the Republican Party candidate.

Menendez has gone on the offensive against Hugin for his time as president of Princeton University's exclusive Tiger Inn eating club, when the Republican led a campus petition drive aimed at blocking the school from expanding its anti-discrimination policy to include gays and lesbians.

Hugin has since walked back his past stance on the issue, claiming that everyone changes over time and that he views many things differently than he did 25 years ago.

"I am proud to say that my views on issues have evolved over the years,” Hugin previously said. “Forty years ago, discussion about gay marriage was nearly non-existent and women being the breadwinners in their homes was a rarity. Today, thankfully, both of those things have changed, and America is a better place for it.”

According to a recent Hugin campaign video, he is “pro-marriage equality” (watch the video below). The Republican’s website states:

“Bob Hugin believes every American should have equal opportunity to pursue the American Dream free from any discrimination in employment, housing, medical and elderly care, access to fair credit, and education. Diversity strengthens our society and discrimination has no place in it at any level. As a Marine Corps veteran, Bob believes that any American who is qualified and able to serve in our nation’s armed forces should be given the opportunity to serve their country. That must include all members of the LGBTQ community and Bob opposes any attempt to ban transgender Americans from our nation’s armed forces. Bob is pro-marriage equality and he will work to protect the freedoms and equality of all Americans. As senator, he will be a proactive leader who will work to ensure that the rights of the LGBTQ community are protected and he’ll work to remove any barriers that threaten full equality.”

Hugin’s avowed change of heart didn't impress Menendez, whose campaign team recently stated that the Republican's time at Princeton University is a glimpse into "the real Bob Hugin: anti-women and anti-gay."

• See related article: Menendez Rips Bob Hugin For Alleged 'Anti-Gay, Anti-Woman' Past

“There is no way to overstate what’s at stake for the LGBTQ community in this election, especially with U.S. Senate candidate Bob Hugin, whose disturbingly anti-LGBTQ actions should give everyone pause,” said Marsha Shapiro and Louise Walpin, the lead plaintiffs in New Jersey’s landmark marriage equality case.

According to Menendez’s campaign team, the senator authored New Jersey's first hate crimes law, one of the first in the nation to include protections based on sexual orientation, when he served in the State Legislature. He also cosponsored the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination in places of public accommodation, and co-signed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of equal rights for the LGBTQ community and other marginalized groups.

The senator’s campaign team added:

“Menendez spoke out against Donald Trump’s hateful transgender military ban and voted against Trump’s Secretary of Education, whose discriminatory policies are undermining LGBT students’ rights under Title IX. He is working to keep discrimination out of schools through the Student Non-Discrimination Act. He also opposes Trump's extreme, right-wing Supreme Court nominees, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who threaten to roll back LGBTQ rights from the bench.”

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Main Photos: Zoltan Suhay