Dems Split on Support for Sen. Menendez Challenger

Senate Democrats remain divided on supporting a primary challenger to Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., despite pushing him to resign or not run for reelection after his recent indictment on bribery charges, Politico reported.

In interviews with Politico, more than a dozen Senate Democrats declined to support Menendez's potential primary opponents.

"We've got time to see what happens there," Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said when asked about Menendez and the 2024 election.

Peters added that while he'd like Menendez to step down, "as to the future, you can extrapolate what you'd like."

"He's got to decide that — and the people of New Jersey. It's really not for us," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate.

While many Democrats have publicly pushed for Menendez to resign, few have vowed to support one of his primary opponents. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was one of the few Senate Democrats to tell Politico he would support one of Menendez's primary opponents.

"If he would be foolish enough to run for reelection, I will be actively assisting anyone that's running against him in the primary," Fetterman said.

"I think he should resign," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. "I'm not dogging him or doing anything else. I hope he doesn't run, but if he does run, it's his choice. And I think he will lose."

Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who has also called on Menendez to vacate his office, said that he hasn't decided to support any of his primary challengers "yet."

"Half the Democratic caucus is encouraging him to resign," Welch said. "And that's the hope. If you resign, you're not going to be serving another term. It's his call."

Asked for his thoughts on running for reelection, Menendez told Politico: "I don't have to answer to you people ... I will tell the people of New Jersey when I'm ready."

One Democrat senator, who spoke to Politico anonymously, said: "There is something like a zero percent chance he would be able to get the nomination" if Menendez ran again. "He's a dead man walking, politically."

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