NJ Dems say Andy Kim should be named to Senate after Menendez conviction

Prominent New Jersey Democrats spot Rep. Andy Kim arsenic nan evident prime to switch Sen. Bob Menendez pursuing his blameworthy verdicts Tuesday. But Gov. Phil Murphy would not opportunity whether he would sanction Kim if — aliases erstwhile — nan Senate spot opens up.

Murphy said Tuesday he’ll take a “temporary” replacement for Menendez if he resigns aliases is expelled from nan Senate pursuing his condemnation connected each 16 counts successful his corruption trial. One personification adjacent to nan Murphy management granted anonymity to speak astir soul deliberations said that while it’s not intolerable that Kim could beryllium appointed, “unlikely is astir apt fair.” And Murphy could beryllium delicate to accusations of helping his ain statement successful an predetermination by giving Kim nan advantage of incumbency.

Menendez instantly faced renewed calls to measurement down, but it’s unclear if he will time off agency connected his ain aliases unit an expulsion vote, which is rare. He has maintained his innocence and plans to appeal.

While astir statewide officials stopped short of urging nan politician to name Kim to nan spot should it unfastened up, respective Democratic leaders POLITICO said pinch said it would astatine slightest beryllium nan logical point to do since Kim won nan Democratic superior successful June. However, that came aft a little but aggravated information conflict pinch nan governor’s wife, first woman Tammy Murphy.

“I deliberation that makes sense. But, that’s successful nan hands of nan governor. He has nan sole authority to do that,” said Democratic State Chair LeRoy Jones.

State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), while qualifying that it’s nan governor’s decision, said Murphy “should name Andy Kim for seniority.”

“Andy Kim won nan Democratic superior pinch almost 80 percent of nan vote. So he’s nan overwhelming prime of registered Democrats successful nan state,” he said.

Kim — who is successful his 3rd word successful nan House of Representatives — told reporters during a quickly arranged distant property convention connected Tuesday that he would judge nan assignment if offered by Murphy.

“If asked, I would accept,” Kim told reporters. “But that is simply a determination for nan governor.”

Relations betwixt Kim and nan Murphys stay strained, and Kim’s suit that upended nan “county line” for Democrats — nan ballot creation utilized for decades successful astir New Jersey counties that gave party-backed candidates an advantage — still rankles immoderate statement leaders. But appointing Kim to nan spot would springiness New Jersey’s newest legislator a bump successful seniority complete nan remainder of nan incoming 2025 class, should Kim triumph nan wide predetermination successful November against Republican Curtis Bashaw. (New Jersey has not elected a Republican to nan Senate since 1972).

Seniority helps find committee assignments and chairmanships. So nan state’s power could summation importantly based connected its legislator having conscionable a mates other months successful office.

Murphy successful a connection Tuesday did not opportunity who he would name should Menendez’s spot unfastened up. “I reiterate my telephone for Senator Menendez to resign instantly aft being recovered blameworthy of endangering nationalist information and nan integrity of our criminal justness system,” he said. “If he refuses to vacate his office, I telephone connected nan U.S. Senate to ballot to expel him. In nan arena of a vacancy, I will workout my work to make a impermanent assignment to guarantee nan group of New Jersey person nan practice they deserve.”

Natalie Hamilton, a spokesperson for Murphy, said that Murphy’s agency “does not remark connected imaginable appointments.”

Menendez is still moving for reelection to nan Senate arsenic an independent. While his likelihood were slim earlier nan conviction, they are moreover narrower aft a assemblage recovered he accepted bribes from New Jersey businesspeople and acted connected behalf of nan government’s of Egypt and Qatar. He has until Aug. 16 to return his sanction disconnected nan November ballot.

Some statement leaders expressed reservations astir appointing Kim, but still liked nan thought of naming him to nan seat.

Atlantic County Democratic Chair Michael Suleiman said Republicans mightiness impeach Democrats of “putting nan thumb connected nan standard for Kim to win.”

“This predetermination is astir apt going to beryllium person than group think, and we don’t want to return Bashaw lightly,” Suleiman said. “Candidly, nan truth that we haven’t elected a Republican legislator successful 51 years and it’s apt to beryllium Andy Kim, why not?”

When asked whether he would beryllium concerned astir leaving a Democratic House spot vacant successful nan arena he is appointed to nan Senate, Kim said that Democrats would still person a “number of different tools” to artifact House Republicans, citing nan Senate Democratic mostly and President Joe Biden successful nan White House.

“I deliberation what's important is that New Jersey has been benignant of a practice that it needs successful nan Senate,” Kim said. “I consciousness very assured nary matter what happens, we'll beryllium capable to extremity a batch of nan vulnerable things that speaker Mike Johnson and nan Republicans successful nan House person been pushing forward.”

Murphy has antecedently ruled retired nan anticipation of appointing his woman to nan Senate spot should it go vacant.

“I don’t spot immoderate script wherever that would beryllium nan case,” nan politician said during a power show last October.

Menendez and his co-defendants look sentencing connected Oct. 29.