New Jersey’s two main candidates for the U.S. Senate had full schedules Tuesday as they campaigned across the state with just one week to go until Election Day.
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez started his day at a senior center in Bloomfield. Menendez said Republicans will move to cut Social Security and Medicare if they maintain control of the Senate.
“So why is it you have to give $2 trillion to the wealthiest in the nation and then go after those who have worked a lifetime helping families and communities and depend upon this as the lifeblood of their existence at this time in their life?” the senator asked the crowd.
Menendez then went to Trenton to meet with Gov. Phil Murphy. The pair unveiled a new state website to help New Jersey residents sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
“I'm proud that the Affordable Care Act brought nearly a million New Jerseyans insurance who didn't have it,” Menendez said.
Menendez had events later in the day alongside Sen. Cory Booker.
Republican challenger Bob Hugin started his day with media interviews and then a luncheon in Skillman. He met with the employees of Patriot American Solutions in Rockaway this afternoon for a tour of the electronics manufacturing plant.
“I traveled all over and the diversity of New Jersey is overwhelming. We have so many great people from so many different backgrounds,” Hugin said.
Hugin spoke to employees and held a roundtable with local business owners.
“Let's be clear: We make promises, we keep them. I am not party. Would not agree to cutting Social Security or Medicare,” Hugin said. “I'm not the product of some political organization. My wife and I are funding more than 90 percent of this campaign, and so I'm not obligated to anybody.”
Most polls show Menendez with a slight lead heading into Election Day Nov. 6, but the Cook Political Report says that the New Jersey Senate race is a tossup.