Amid a whirlwind of political fervor, New Jersey Mayor Christine Serrano-Glassner, with deep-rooted ties to former President Donald Trump, set the stage on fire with her electrifying announcement on Monday. She’s throwing her hat into the ring for the coveted Republican 2024 U.S. Senate nomination.
Serrano-Glassner, currently reigning as the mayor of Mendham Borough in Morris County, is on a mission to unseat the 18-year incumbent Democrat, Bob Menendez. Menendez, who’s been under the scrutiny of his third federal investigation since entering the Senate in 2006, now faces a formidable challenger.
In a riveting campaign kickoff video, Serrano-Glassner minces no words, declaring, “Senator Menendez has been in politics his entire life. He’s under investigation yet again. New Jersey deserves someone with integrity, someone who will work hard to tackle the tough problems that are facing all of us. Someone who will put us first. Someone who cares more about our families — our New Jersey families — than his cronies.”
The stakes are high. Republicans haven’t clinched a U.S. Senate election in New Jersey since 1972. Yet, with the specter of a federal investigation looming over Menendez, some state Democrats are feeling uneasy about his re-election prospects.
Menendez, despite the challenges, has made it clear that he intends to seek re-election, with most state Democrats firmly in his corner. However, the political landscape could shift dramatically if he faces charges.
But here’s where the drama intensifies. Serrano-Glassner’s association with Trump could prove to be a double-edged sword in New Jersey, a state where backlash against Trump propelled Menendez to an 11-point victory over Republican Bob Hugin in 2018, even following a corruption trial that ended in a deadlock.
Serrano-Glassner serves as a principal and co-founder of C&M Transcontinental, a public affairs firm, while her husband, Michael Glassner, leads the same firm as its president. Michael Glassner’s former role as chief operating officer and deputy campaign manager for Trump from July 2015 to November 2020 adds a captivating twist to the narrative, as he currently spearheads a Trump legal defense fund.
Menendez’s adviser, Michael Soliman, wasted no time capitalizing on the Trump connection, emphasizing, “Here’s the thing that New Jersey’s voters will quickly learn — the mayor is a hardcore, unapologetic Trump supporter. Even after Trump pushed an insurrection, even after he bragged about helping to end Roe v. Wade and even after he cozies up to Vladimir Putin, mayor Serrano-Glassner is all in on Trump. She is clearly out of touch with New Jerseyans. Bob Menendez knows New Jersey — his record of achievement and advocacy for our state is simply unmatched.”
Serrano-Glassner’s political journey began with her election to the Mendham Borough council in 2016, culminating in her mayoral victory in 2018. With Mendham Borough, a community of around 5,000 residents, bordering Mendham Township, home to former governor and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, the stage is set for a political showdown of epic proportions.
Serrano-Glassner exudes confidence, declaring, “As a fighter for New Jersey residents and businesses throughout my career in federal and state government and based on my experience as a mom and a mayor, I am ready to go to work. We need a leader to fight for the hardworking men and women of New Jersey — and for America. I am that leader, and I will defeat Bob Menendez and end his career of cronyism.”
While Serrano-Glassner is the first Republican elected official to declare her candidacy against Menendez, she’s not the only one in the race. Three other contenders have filed campaign paperwork with the Federal Election Commission: Shirley Maia-Cusick, an immigration attorney; Gregg Mele, who ran as a libertarian candidate for governor in 2021; and Dan Cruz, an educator and former member of the Andover Regional Board of Education.
As the political stage is set ablaze, Menendez faces a lone challenger in the Democratic primary, Kyle Jasey, a Jersey City real estate lender and the son of outgoing Assemblymember Mila Jasey (D-Essex).
The showdown for New Jersey’s U.S. Senate seat promises to be a gripping saga with unpredictable twists and turns, as the battle lines are drawn, alliances tested, and the future of the Garden State hangs in the balance.
