NJ May Become Trump's Biggest Burden – Or Boost – On Primary Day

Many of the races aren't expected to be competitive on the day of the New Jersey primaries. But Tuesday's contests could set the table for some of the most competitive races in the country that could determine control of Congress.

And that could start at the top, where the incumbent Democratic senator could face a tougher-than-expected race that would provide a boost to the Trump administration's desire to maintain GOP control of Congress.

Or the races could provide a burden to Trump, since several Republicans are retiring in House districts they've held for years, and Democrats could run strong in each of them.'

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In the Senate race, Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez could be find himself in rarefied air, running a competitive race in November in a traditionally blue state against a well-financed opponent, Robert J. Hugin, the former chairman of Celgene Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company.

First Menendez has to get through his primary against Lisa McCormick, the publisher of a weekly newspaper who, like Hugin, isn't afraid to go after the 12-year senator for his legal troubles.

Indeed, in commercial after commercial, Hugin has been attacking Menendez despite the fact that the U.S. Department of Justice dropped an indictment against the senior senator from New Jersey earlier this year.

Menendez, a veteran Democrat lawmaker, was accused of offering a friend political favors in exchange for lavish gifts and campaign contributions. In November, a mistrial was ruled in a federal trial against Menendez, who was charged three counts of bribery.

His Democratic Primary opponent, McCormick, says that Menendez's legal woes are still fair game. "I've had criticism from the Democratic party who said, 'You shouldn't criticize Menendez. He's on our team," McCormick told Patch. "But if we don't do it, then the Republicans will."

McCormick, who has not received any endorsements from major Democrats and has run a grass-roots campaign, fears that Menendez's troubles could ultimately ruin the party's chances to win the Senate and prevent backers from spending money in battleground state races that are also competitive.

Indeed, a recent Fairleigh Dickinson University poll said 28 percent of registered voters supported Menendez while 24 percent preferred Hugin. About 46 percent were undecided.

But Patrick Murray, Monmouth University Polling Institute's director, said the anti-Trump sentiment is real, particularly in New Jersey, and that will help Menendez. He did say that anything could change before November.

"When you take the overall atmosphere that exists in New Jersey, that could be helping Menendez," he told Patch.

Michael Soliman, campaign chairman for Menendez for Senate, said the incumbent "is focused on the issues that matter most to our state, like making sure that every New Jerseyan has access to affordable, quality healthcare, preventing more senseless gun violence, and growing our economy in a way that creates more opportunity for everyone, not just the wealthy."

"This is what matters to people; they want to know how their lives are going to get better and that's what Senator Menendez is working to deliver," Soliman said.

Soliman then targeted Hugin, saying: "It's no secret that Bob Hugin is desperate to deflect from his record at Celgene."

"He spent his career there fighting competition from generic manufacturers and using the monopoly he created to double the price of a drug that cancer patients need," he said. "His tactics were so ruthless that the Trump Administration 'named and shamed' Celgene as the target of the most complaints of anti-competitive practices so they can keep drug prices high."

Soliman claims Hugin and his company paid more than $280 million to settle claims that he "ripped off the government with an elaborate scheme of marketing drugs for unapproved uses that put people's lives in danger."

"What has he had to say to voters about it?" he asked. "Only that he's proud of everything he's done.”

Hugin Communications Director Megan Piwowar shot back with this statement:

"If Senator Menendez can look New Jerseyans in the eye and honestly tell them their lives are better after his 25 years in Washington, D.C, then he is either clueless or a better liar than we gave him credit for. Maybe if Bob Menendez fought as hard for average New Jerseyans as he did for his convicted felon 'best friend' from Florida, we wouldn't be dead last in what we get back from Washington. While Bob Hugin spent the last 20 years building a company that created jobs and saved lives, Bob Menendez's greatest accomplishment is managing to stay one step ahead of the law. His dishonest smears against Bob Hugin are the last gasps of a corrupt and desperate politician who feels his grip on power slipping more every day."

Here are some other races that could ultimately tip the balance of Congress:

Democrats Hungry For Monmouth Republican Chris Smith's Seat

On primary day, two Democrats will be facing off against each other, both of them eager to unseat longtime Rep. Chris Smith, R-Monmouth, Mercer.

While Josh Welle is favored to win over Jim Keady, election watchers say it's going to be very difficult for any Democrat to unseat Smith come the general election in November.

But given the current political climate in New Jersey, where the Trump administration is currently unpopular, you never know. Read more...

Contested Primaries Set For 2nd Congressional District Seat

On primary day, one of New Jersey's Congressional elections is getting a lot of attention nationally.

When longtime Republican Congressman Frank LoBiondo, R-2, opted not to run for re-election this year, his two-year seat immediately caught the eye of national Democrats, who saw it as a seat that could be flipped in the pivotal mid-term elections. Read more...

Contested Primary Set For 7th Congressional District Seat

On primary day, there is a heated and contested race for the 7th Congressional District seat.

And it could get even more heated after the primary. The two-year term seat is currently held by Republican Leonard Lance, who has held the seat since 2009. He also may be vulnerable. Read more...

NJ 11th Congressional Race: Who's Running & What Do They Believe?

A much-anticipated primary is coming up in New Jersey's 11th district, following long-time Republican Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen's reitrement announcement. It will be the first time since 1992 that Frelinghuysen won't be on the ballot.

Five Republicans and five Democrats are vying for the two-year term to represent the district, which covers most of Morris County and sections of Essex, Passaic, and Sussex counties. The group of candidates includes several veterans, businesspeople, Ph.D's, and lawyers. Read more...

Republican Primary Set For 5th District Congressional Seat

There is a contested race for the 7th Congressional District Republican nomination. And the contest has been a somewhat loud one.

The Republican challengers facing off Tuesday are Steve Lonegan and Scott McCann. McCann, 57, of Oakland is general counsel to the New Jersey Sheriffs Association and Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino. He has never held elected office.

Lonegan ran for governor twice and against now-incumbent Senator Cory Booker in a special election in 2013 to serve the remainder of the late Frank Lautenberg's term.

Lonegan, a former Bogota mayor, has called McCann "liberal" and "pro-abortion" and has called for an FEC investigation into what he called a “despicable and dishonest” pro-McCann mailer.

“I knew the Democrats backing John McCann would come after me with everything they had, but even I didn’t think they would stoop as low as funneling money through a c4 and flagrantly violating FEC rules to do it,” said Lonegan.

McCann, on the other hand, has said Lonegan is anti-Trump and can’t beat the Democrats. "He’s just an embarrassment," he said. Read more....

Image via Gage Skidmore