Senate race taking shape before primary is settled

TRENTON, N.J. – This year’s race for New Jersey’s U.S. Senate seat won’t officially be underway until after Tuesday’s Democratic and Republican primaries.

But incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez and Republican challenger Bob Hugin are already hurling insults at one another in what will be New Jersey’s only statewide contest this fall and an arena in the national fight for control of the narrowly divided Senate.

Menendez is running for his third six-year term after facing little primary competition in his previous two elections. This year he faces publisher Lisa McCormick, who mounted a campaign for governor last year before backing another candidate.

Hugin headed biopharmaceutical company Celgene until this year and is largely self-financing his campaign. He has broad support against Brian Goldberg, a self-described IT professional and construction company executive.