As the ballots pour in from Sandy-ravaged New Jersey, Robert Menendez has emerged victorious in reclaiming his U.S. Senate seat against Republican challenger Joe Kyrillos.
With just over half of polling districts reporting, state Republicans have conceded victory to Menendez. The U.S. senator leads 58 percent to 40 percent as of 10:30 p.m., according to CBS News.
"Senator Joe Kyrillos ran a great campaign against very tough circumstances and despite the loss, his family, campaign team, and supporters should be very proud of their efforts," New Jersey Republican Chairman Sam Raia said in a statement late Tuesday night. "Joe represents the very best of New Jersey and has fought for his constituents faithfully from the day he took office and I have no doubt he will continue to do so for many years to come."
Early polls had projected Menendez a big winner on Tuesday and the Hudson County liberal delivered.
The race had been called by multiple outlets before 20 percent of districts had even reported.
Appointed to the senate by former Gov. Jon Corzine in 2006, Menendez had little trouble out-muscling Kyrillos financially in his second successful bid for senatorial office.
Campaign finance records show the U.S. Senator picked up $16 million from donors and aggressively dropped large sums on 30-second TV spots, more than tripling Gov. Chris Christie confidant's war chest.
A staunch supporter of Obamacare who protested the war in Iraq, Menendez has pledged to "fight for the middle class" by closing corporate loopholes and removing the tax breaks for the wealthy, a stark contrast to Kyrillos' vision.
First elected in 1992 to the state legislature but lacking name recognition throughout New Jersey, Kyrillos campaigned on dropping the corporate tax rate to incentivize job creation and spur growth.
"We're going to have to raise revenue, and I want to do it through growth," Kyrillos said at a debate against the senator this fall.
Kyrillos, considered by most a moderate GOP, was one of the few Republicans not to have signed the anti-tax-hike pledge, which he told The Record's editorial board was to "maintain independence."
Menendez was not immediately available for comment.
This article was last updated at 10:40 p.m. Tuesday.
Menendez is a disgusting human being. Anyone who voted for him should be ashamed of him/herself. A pine tree would be a better Senator than that guy. But until the "us" vs "them" mentality of politics as a football game goes away, we'll have wayyyy too many people like Jonas here who thinks "his team won" voting the party line without thought.
What I am doing today is selling all my assets to pay long term capital gains and then buying municipal bonds which are tax free so that the government will receive less from me to waste going forward. Then I am going to create a plan to layoff 10 more employees to pay for all of the other stuff Obama wants me to comply with. After that, I am going to cancel my purchase of a new truck for my business because why should I help out that company any longer. Lastly, I am going to get rid of my lawn service and buy a donkey so I will save on grass cut expenses and lower my property taxes as farmland. Tomorrow I will seek more ways to do less because apparently I am evil and don't pay my fair share now. See if the people in Asbury Park can make up the difference. Thanks
Enjoy watching the gays get equal rights, workings earning a decent wage, the right to unionize, funded public education for all, universal healthcare and no more wars we have to send our children to. Paul Ryan is your savior, too bad he'll have to command from the little seat in the house.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100187373/republicans-are-hoping-that-bob-menendezs-sex-scandal-will-make-him-the-new-anthony-weiner/
"A poll released by CBS and the New York Times in 2006 asked participants to name the first thing that came to their minds when hearing Menendez's name: the top answer given was "corruption" or "crooked".
"U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez employed as an unpaid intern in his Senate office an undocumented immigrant who was a registered sex offender, now under arrest by immigration authorities, The Associated Press has learned. The Homeland Security Department instructed federal agents not to arrest him until after Election Day, a U.S. official involved in the case told the AP."
perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity” - - Andre Gide: French writer, humanist and moralist, 1947 nobel prize for literature, 1869-1951 http://www.republicanoffenders.com/index.html