In corruption-ridden New Jersey, a closely contested House race centers on ethics
In this fiercely contested election, both candidates have leveraged the controversy surrounding convicted Sen. Bob Menendez to enhance their own profiles.
TroibNews 
Bob Menendez will not appear on the November ballot in New Jersey after his conviction, yet he remains influential in the current campaign cycle.
In the state's prominent House race, one of the most competitive in the nation, Menendez has been referenced in campaign materials from both incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and his Democratic challenger, Sue Altman. As they seek to enhance their ethical credentials amid widespread voter distrust of government, the context of Menendez’s corruption charges and conviction resonates deeply, given New Jersey’s history of political scandal.
This dynamic coincides with a period of weakened power structures in New Jersey, where a small but vocal group of voters is expressing opposition to the political practices that supported Menendez until his indictment last year.
Kean’s initial television advertisement recalls his 2006 challenge against Menendez for New Jersey’s U.S. Senate seat, labeling him a “crooked politician.” Altman, in her July ad, referred to Menendez as part of the “New Jersey Corruption Crew,” contending that she stands against such figures. Her “issues” page prominently lists “anti-corruption” as a priority.
A similar emphasis on ethical issues is evident in the contest for Menendez’s former Senate seat. Rep. Andy Kim, the frontrunner who declared his candidacy following Menendez’s indictment, recently released a “Sopranos”-themed advertisement promoting his efforts to prohibit individual stock trading by Congress members and pledging to change New Jersey's political reputation. A 2023 Fairleigh Dickinson University poll indicated that 80 percent of New Jersey residents perceive their elected officials as at least “a little” corrupt.
The 7th District, where Kean and Altman are vying for votes, leans Republican according to the Cook Political Report but remains among the most competitive districts nationwide, with the potential to influence the House's balance of power.
A recent Monmouth University poll showed that Altman holds a slight edge over Kean regarding voter trust on corruption issues, with 38 percent expressing confidence in her compared to 35 percent for Kean.
Kean’s strategy to highlight his good government credentials appears to be a response to Altman’s background. Altman gained recognition as the top staffer for New Jersey’s Working Families Party, a leading progressive organization, and is primarily noted for her involvement in good government advocacy in Trenton.
“We believe in progressive policies, including things in the Legislature right now — extending voting rights [for felons], drivers licenses [for unauthorized immigrants], environmental protections,” she stated in a 2019 interview with the Star-Ledger. “But we also believe in a progressivism of procedure, which involves anti-corruption measures, transparency, and getting cronyism out of politics.”
Altman has been a vocal opponent of South Jersey Democratic leader George Norcross and has criticized the state's corporate tax incentive programs, alleging misuse by companies associated with Norcross. A notable incident during her tenure at Working Families was her removal from a Statehouse hearing on corporate tax incentives in Norcross’s presence; Kean, then the state Senate minority leader, remarked that her removal “shouldn’t have happened.”
During tensions between Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and the state Legislature in his first term, Altman supported an unsuccessful ethics initiative aimed at addressing “shadow lobbying,” improving access to legislative records, and extending the time limit for former officials to become lobbyists.
Furthermore, Altman has openly opposed New Jersey’s county line ballot design, which prioritized candidates endorsed by county political parties, giving established candidates a significant advantage. Although this practice was not in effect during this year’s June primary due to a preliminary injunction from a federal judge, the Working Families Party, under Altman’s stewardship, was a key plaintiff in a 2020 lawsuit against it. Kim also filed a separate lawsuit earlier this year aiming to abolish the ballot structure for the June primary, achieving success.
“We have to change the system — the way the ballot works, the way candidates are decided at the county level — so that we don't have another George Norcross after he’s gone,” Altman said in an early 2020 interview with NJ Spotlight News. “We have to change the system so that New Jersey works for all the people, not just the privileged few.”
In the ongoing congressional race, Kean has highlighted his vote to expel New York Republican Rep. George Santos, who misrepresented key aspects of his biography. The expulsion received bipartisan support, with nearly all Democrats and 105 Republicans, including Kean, in favor.
Kean’s inaugural television ad also underscored a bill he endorsed that bars incumbent state lawmakers from serving on the state Legislature's ethics committee and allows the committee to collect more financial information on lawmakers facing ethics complaints. He has additionally spotlighted a bill he proposed this summer to prevent Congress members from profiting from investments tied to foreign adversaries.
Kean also promotes his backing of a ban on stock trading by members of Congress.
Ethics has played a crucial role in the closely monitored 7th Congressional District before. Former Rep. Tom Malinowski faced scrutiny during his 2022 reelection campaign due to late-reported stock trades, an issue Kean capitalized on to secure his seat in Congress.
After his election, Kean committed to establishing a blind trust to mitigate any potential ethical issues. However, PMG reported this month that the trust remains incomplete, pending approval from the House Ethics Committee.
The Altman campaign has criticized Kean for the delay in completing the blind trust, while Kean’s campaign has refrained from commenting on the matter.
“[Kean is] more than happy to hit others on financial ethics when running for office and tout his ‘anti-corruption’ work in campaign ads, but refuses to hold himself to the same standards,” Altman campaign manager Rob West stated in a PMG comment. “With his long record of empty words, I think we'll need to hear something better than 'I tried.'”
Ian Smith for TROIB News
In the state's prominent House race, one of the most competitive in the nation, Menendez has been referenced in campaign materials from both incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and his Democratic challenger, Sue Altman. As they seek to enhance their ethical credentials amid widespread voter distrust of government, the context of Menendez’s corruption charges and conviction resonates deeply, given New Jersey’s history of political scandal.
This dynamic coincides with a period of weakened power structures in New Jersey, where a small but vocal group of voters is expressing opposition to the political practices that supported Menendez until his indictment last year.
Kean’s initial television advertisement recalls his 2006 challenge against Menendez for New Jersey’s U.S. Senate seat, labeling him a “crooked politician.” Altman, in her July ad, referred to Menendez as part of the “New Jersey Corruption Crew,” contending that she stands against such figures. Her “issues” page prominently lists “anti-corruption” as a priority.
A similar emphasis on ethical issues is evident in the contest for Menendez’s former Senate seat. Rep. Andy Kim, the frontrunner who declared his candidacy following Menendez’s indictment, recently released a “Sopranos”-themed advertisement promoting his efforts to prohibit individual stock trading by Congress members and pledging to change New Jersey's political reputation. A 2023 Fairleigh Dickinson University poll indicated that 80 percent of New Jersey residents perceive their elected officials as at least “a little” corrupt.
The 7th District, where Kean and Altman are vying for votes, leans Republican according to the Cook Political Report but remains among the most competitive districts nationwide, with the potential to influence the House's balance of power.
A recent Monmouth University poll showed that Altman holds a slight edge over Kean regarding voter trust on corruption issues, with 38 percent expressing confidence in her compared to 35 percent for Kean.
Kean’s strategy to highlight his good government credentials appears to be a response to Altman’s background. Altman gained recognition as the top staffer for New Jersey’s Working Families Party, a leading progressive organization, and is primarily noted for her involvement in good government advocacy in Trenton.
“We believe in progressive policies, including things in the Legislature right now — extending voting rights [for felons], drivers licenses [for unauthorized immigrants], environmental protections,” she stated in a 2019 interview with the Star-Ledger. “But we also believe in a progressivism of procedure, which involves anti-corruption measures, transparency, and getting cronyism out of politics.”
Altman has been a vocal opponent of South Jersey Democratic leader George Norcross and has criticized the state's corporate tax incentive programs, alleging misuse by companies associated with Norcross. A notable incident during her tenure at Working Families was her removal from a Statehouse hearing on corporate tax incentives in Norcross’s presence; Kean, then the state Senate minority leader, remarked that her removal “shouldn’t have happened.”
During tensions between Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and the state Legislature in his first term, Altman supported an unsuccessful ethics initiative aimed at addressing “shadow lobbying,” improving access to legislative records, and extending the time limit for former officials to become lobbyists.
Furthermore, Altman has openly opposed New Jersey’s county line ballot design, which prioritized candidates endorsed by county political parties, giving established candidates a significant advantage. Although this practice was not in effect during this year’s June primary due to a preliminary injunction from a federal judge, the Working Families Party, under Altman’s stewardship, was a key plaintiff in a 2020 lawsuit against it. Kim also filed a separate lawsuit earlier this year aiming to abolish the ballot structure for the June primary, achieving success.
“We have to change the system — the way the ballot works, the way candidates are decided at the county level — so that we don't have another George Norcross after he’s gone,” Altman said in an early 2020 interview with NJ Spotlight News. “We have to change the system so that New Jersey works for all the people, not just the privileged few.”
In the ongoing congressional race, Kean has highlighted his vote to expel New York Republican Rep. George Santos, who misrepresented key aspects of his biography. The expulsion received bipartisan support, with nearly all Democrats and 105 Republicans, including Kean, in favor.
Kean’s inaugural television ad also underscored a bill he endorsed that bars incumbent state lawmakers from serving on the state Legislature's ethics committee and allows the committee to collect more financial information on lawmakers facing ethics complaints. He has additionally spotlighted a bill he proposed this summer to prevent Congress members from profiting from investments tied to foreign adversaries.
Kean also promotes his backing of a ban on stock trading by members of Congress.
Ethics has played a crucial role in the closely monitored 7th Congressional District before. Former Rep. Tom Malinowski faced scrutiny during his 2022 reelection campaign due to late-reported stock trades, an issue Kean capitalized on to secure his seat in Congress.
After his election, Kean committed to establishing a blind trust to mitigate any potential ethical issues. However, PMG reported this month that the trust remains incomplete, pending approval from the House Ethics Committee.
The Altman campaign has criticized Kean for the delay in completing the blind trust, while Kean’s campaign has refrained from commenting on the matter.
“[Kean is] more than happy to hit others on financial ethics when running for office and tout his ‘anti-corruption’ work in campaign ads, but refuses to hold himself to the same standards,” Altman campaign manager Rob West stated in a PMG comment. “With his long record of empty words, I think we'll need to hear something better than 'I tried.'”
Ian Smith for TROIB News
