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By Jenna Sundel
News Reporter
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New Jersey voters took to the polls for the 2024 primary election on Tuesday as scandals plague the political world at both the state and national level.
Voters in the Garden State face some difficult decisions. Democrats will be choosing a Senate candidate to replace Senator Robert Menendez, who opted to skip the Democratic nomination and run as an independent amid his federal corruption trial.
"I don't think Menendez has a chance," Bloomfield resident Peter Guziejewski told Newsweek. "I think the bigger question will be if his independent run will end up splitting Democratic voters enough to lead to an unexpected Republican victory, which New Jersey hasn't seen since 1972."
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Democrats are deciding between Rep. Andy Kim, labor leader Patricia Campos-Medina and longtime grassroots organizer Lawrence Hamm.
"I think that people in New Jersey would like a real change when it comes to politicians who are not honest, who are not trustworthy," said Wayne resident Rick Mancini, who is a Democrat. "Andy Kim is the type of person who you really have respect for his character, his priorities, who he'll fight for and represent as opposed to what we've had for Menendez."
On the GOP side, it's a four-way contest but southern New Jersey hotel developer Curtis Bashaw has gotten significant county party backing, and Mendham Borough Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner won former President Donald Trump's endorsement.
Residents are also casting ballots for their party's candidate for the upcoming presidential election. On the Republican side, Trump is likely to secure the nomination, despite recently being found guilty on 34 counts related to falsifying business records.
President Joe Biden is the Democrat's likely candidate, but he also has a tough road ahead in the general election as some key polls had Trump in the lead prior to his conviction.
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Newsweek spoke to voters in Wayne, Pompton Lakes and Bloomfield on election day to get their takes on the issues and today's political climate.
Trump received around 51.5% of the vote in Wayne and around 52.7% of the vote in Pompton Lakes in the 2020 election. Both towns are located in Passaic County, where Biden received around 57.7% of the vote in 2020.
Biden received around 72% of the vote in Bloomfield in 2020. Bloomfield is located in Essex County, where Biden received around 77.3% of the vote in 2020.
Guziejewski said the issues that stand out to him are the economy, the cost of getting a college education and foreign policy. He admitted it may be difficult for Biden to win re-election.
"I think it will be tougher for Biden this time since now he has a record as president and people at least perceive they are worse off under him than they were with Trump in the White House" Guziejewski said.
Mancini spoke about the issues he focuses on when picking which candidates he supports.
"I think it's important that we have people who believe in our democracy, believe in the rule of law, believe in our country and want to perfect our democracy rather than tear it down and start over again, in another direction," Mancini said.
Mancini also cares about taking care of veteran and women's reproductive rights.
"I have a daughter, nieces, a wife. I think anything that keeps them from being able to get proper health care is a problem."
He expressed confidence in Biden's chances at winning the general election.
"Personally, I think he has an excellent chance of beating Trump," Mancini said. "What he has to do is be a better communicator when it comes to his achievements and making the contrast. If he can do that, he's got a clear path to winning."
Wayne resident Gloria Langer-Bodker, who is a Democrat, is interested in upholding democracy, freedom of choice, separation of church and state and public education. She spoke about the importance of participating in primary elections.
"In a primary, I can pick the person that I feel is most aligned with my values and outlook for the country," Langer-Bodker said.
Langer-Bodker said she believed Democrats will not continue to support Menendez due to his indictment in the federal corruption scheme.
"I feel that six years ago, Menendez had lost some trust from the Democrats," Langer-Bodker said. "And now this issue with his wife is a continuation of what he was originally charged with, and I can't support that, even if he aligns 100 percent with all of my views."
However, Langer-Bodker thinks Trump's conviction will not be on people's minds in November.
"I think that it will be forgotten by November," Langer-Bodker said. "I don't think that Trump's legal issues will sway too many people."
Wayne resident Eileen Muller said the issues that matter to her the most are the economy, crime and immigration. She was skeptical about Menendez's momentum as an independent candidate.
"I don't think he's going to do well at all," Muller said.
When it comes to Trump's recent legal troubles, Muller said she doesn't think he will be negatively impacted.
"In fact, I think it's helped him," Muller said.
Muller did not have high expectations for Biden's bid for re-election.
"He's a feeble old man and does so many wrong things and has not been good for the country for the entire three and a half years he's been in power," Muller said.
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Wayne resident Laurie Van Pamel said she cares about border safety, the economy and the Israel-Hamas war.
"I have two kids in the military," Van Pamel said. "I'm concerned about Israel and what they're doing there because I don't want my kids to go back over there."
Van Pamel is another voter expressing doubts about Menendez's political future.
"I think somebody else is going to take the seat," Van Pamel said.
Van Pamel said her vote has not been affected by the several trials Trump is facing.
"It's not going to affect him because it's a lot of phooey, it's a lot of just crap," Van Pamel said.
Republicans Norman Robertson and Peggy Robertson, of Wayne, said immigration, crime and "the incompetence of what's happening in Washington" stand out as key issues to them.
Peggy Robertson also said Menendez's bid as an independent will not result in another victory for the senator.
"He won't do well as an independent, that's for sure," Peggy Robertson said.
Norman Robertson agreed and said that "he's probably doing that out of anger."
Norman Robertson also thought the former president's legal troubles could help him in the upcoming presidential race.
"If anything, it's going to increase the amount of money that he takes in," Norman Robertson said. "There are tons of small donor donations that really tell a story, not just about donations, but about whether or not the people are angry at what's been happening."
Pompton Lakes resident Edward O'Brien said he was "an anti-Trumper." He said he cares about the state of the country and the divisions that are currently happening in society.
While he does not support Trump, he's unsure if the charges he's facing will impact the election.
"I hope they do, but I don't think they will," said O'Brien who still "absolutely" thinks Biden can win the upcoming presidential race.
He also had a message for people on the fence about voting.
"If you don't vote, you have no excuse," O'Brien said.
Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota and Washington, D.C. are also holding primary elections on Tuesday. The elections are some of the last primaries before the upcoming general election, but the first primaries to be held after Trump's guilty conviction on 34 charges.
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