N.J. Dem leaders are meeting about yanking Menendez from the party line

Democratic leaders in Sen. Bob Menendez’s home state of New Jersey met on Friday afternoon about a possible removal of his name from the party line on next year’s ballot, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The discussion signals that the embattled Democratic senator’s reelection bid in 2024 could face fresh peril following his indictment on federal bribery and conspiracy charges, which was unsealed earlier Friday. All three people addressed the Democratic leaders’ meeting — which included officials at the state and county level — on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.

New Jersey Democrats were already agitated by the serious nature of the charges outlined in the indictment of Menendez and his wife, Nadine. Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) on Friday afternoon became the first member of the state’s congressional delegation to call for Menendez to step down from Congress following the indictment.

It’s not clear how quickly the state’s Democrats might try to move against Menendez’s formal listing on their ballot, if they do. The senator drew a primary challenger, small-town mayor Joe Signorello III, but he since shifted his sights to the House.