Voters in New Jersey will head to the polls to elect a U.S. Senator on Tuesday, Nov. 6. But which of the state's four leading candidates – incumbent Bob Menendez or challengers Bob Hugin, Madelyn Hoffman and Murray Sabrin – will emerge victorious?

Patch recently reached out to the 2018 U.S. Senate candidates in New Jersey for the Democratic, Republican, Green and Libertarian parties. We gave each the same set of questions; read their replies and learn more about each candidate below.

Qualifications – Member of U.S. Senate since 2006. Former U.S. Congressman. Former member NJ State Assembly and State Senate. Former mayor and board of education member in Union City. Earned a juris doctor degree from Rutgers School of Law in Newark.

From his website – "Senator Bob Menendez's story is a quintessential American story. He grew up the son of Cuban immigrants in a tenement building in Union City and has risen to become one of 100 United States senators." ( read more here )

What are the top local issues you'll fight for in New Jersey if elected in November? – "I am fighting to ensure every New Jerseyan has access to quality, affordable health care, that we lower the high cost of prescription drugs, tackle the opioid epidemic, and preserve Medicare and Medicaid for future generations. I will continue to work towards making college more affordable, moving the Gateway Tunnel project forward and increasing federal investment in our crumbling infrastructure, and expanding economic opportunities for all. We need a tax system that is fair, helps grow our middle class, and doesn't just benefit big corporations and the ultra-rich. I will continue to fight the Trump Administration as it seeks to roll back clean air and clean water regulations, and open the Atlantic to oil and gas drilling that threatens our beautiful Jersey Shore. We need to stand up to the gun lobby for sensible gun safety laws, and we need to fight attempts to undermine civil and women's rights. New Jerseyans want a proven fighter who stands up for them and the core values we share, not a greedy drug company CEO and big-money supporter of Donald Trump who got rich by gouging cancer patients."

How you would describe the current political climate in our country right now? And what can we do to improve it? – "The stakes in this election have never been higher. We have a president in Donald Trump who continually seeks to divide us, demonizes women and communities of color, alienates our allies around the globe, and pits certain groups against the other to sow fear and discontent in order to push through an agenda that threatens our very democracy and standing in the world. The direction of the Supreme Court and issues like a woman's right to choose, protections for our environment, the rights of working people and basic civil and human rights are on the line. We need folks to rise up, speak out, and most importantly vote. Now, more than ever, we need to elect a Democratic Congress to be a voice of the people and a check on Donald Trump's power."

Photo courtesy of Bob Hugin

BOB HUGIN – REPUBLICAN PARTY



Qualifications – Former chairman and CEO of the Celgene Corporation and trustee of the Atlantic Health System. At-large NJ delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention. Served in U.S. Marine Corps as active duty infantry officer. Earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and MBA from University of Virginia.

From his website – "Born and raised in New Jersey, Bob grew up in a diverse, hardworking neighborhood in Union City, Hudson County, where his parents instilled in him an obligation to serve others. He was the first person in his family to attend college, earning a full scholarship to Princeton University." (read more here)

What are the top local issues you'll fight for in New Jersey if elected in November? – "Three issues I will tackle immediately are: making New Jersey more affordable, improving our infrastructure, and reforming healthcare.

"New Jersey has an affordability crisis that is only made worse by Governor Murphy's recent tax hikes. New Jersey is also 50 out of 50 -- dead last -- in what we get back from Washington versus what we send there. For every dollar our taxpayers send to D.C. we get just 77 cents back. Our high tax burden is forcing more people to move out of New Jersey more than any other state, and it's not just seniors on a fixed income who can't afford to retire here. New Jersey has the highest rate of out-migration of millennials, and more of our high school students go to college out-of-state and never return. According to the NJBIA, the rate of Millennial out-migration from NJ is the highest in the country with a loss of 183,591 Millennials between 2007 and 2016.

"Second, New Jersey's infrastructure is in dire shape - and the Gateway Tunnel project is a glaring example. It's damaging our economy and our quality of life. I will be New Jersey's champion in Washington fighting to make sure our federal tax dollars are invested here to modernize our infrastructure, which will improve our economy, make our roads, bridges and tunnels safer, and create good-paying, high-skill jobs. New Jersey is the economic epicenter of this region and for our country. It's time for Washington to give our state the investment it deserves.

"Finally, we must make healthcare more affordable and accessible. One way we can do that is by reforming our healthcare delivery model. First, that means moving to payment systems that are based on value, performance and evidence-based approaches that provide transparency on cost and patient outcomes. Second, we should also be encouraging innovation to improve care and reduce healthcare expenditures. Third, we should pursue ideas like reasonable caps on monthly out-of-pocket expenses for patients and their families. Finally, the most effective way to reduce healthcare costs is to keep people healthy, and we can do that by more effectively managing chronic conditions and investing in research and development - just like I did at Celgene - to find cures."

How you would describe the current political climate in our country right now? And what can we do to improve it? – "Politicians in Washington would rather point fingers at each other rather than extend their hands in cooperation and compromise. My time in the Marines taught me so many lessons that I carried into my life, and now into this race for Senate. In the Marines, you don't ask someone if they are a Democrat or a Republican, or if they agree with you on every issue. Instead, you work together as a team and you find common ground to achieve a shared goal. Frankly, that's what we need more of in Congress, and that's the kind of Senator I will be for New Jersey. An independent voice that always puts our state and our people first.

"We need to elect different leaders that will move the conversation away from parties and onto people. Career politicians should be a thing of the past. That's why I support term limits and have made restoring honesty and integrity to Congress one of my campaign priorities."

We get the pleasure of buying you a drink in a local pub. What are you drinking? (Non-alcoholic beverages OK!) – "Budweiser."

MADELYN HOFFMAN – GREEN PARTY



Qualifications – Ran for NJ governor on the Green Party ticket in 1997. Was Ralph Nader's vice presidential running mate for NJ in 1996. Ran for U.S. Congress as a Green Party member in 1998. Longtime environmental/social justice activist in New Jersey (executive director of New Jersey Peace Action from 2000 to May 2018; worked as the director of the Grass Roots Environmental Organization from 1983 to 1998). Earned MPA from Rutgers University-Newark.

From her website – "This is about working-class activists running a campaign without any influence from corporations or the 1%. These institutions have far too much control over the establishment already. We stand opposed on principle to endless wars, imperialism, racism, and capitalism. We do not take their money and we do not let them define who we are." (read more here)

What are the top local issues you'll fight for in New Jersey if elected in November? – "If elected to the U.S. Senate, my top priorities would be to address the needs of low-to-moderate income people -- first by promoting and pushing for single-payer, universal health care, tuition-free college, local control of public schools, a $15 minimum wage for starters and helping to pay for those initiatives by reducing military spending and addressing the refugee/migrant situation by ending the wars the U.S. is currently involved in and using the money saved to create stronger, healthier communities here at home."

How you would describe the current political climate in our country right now? And what can we do to improve it? – "First, we are living in what I call 'hyperpartisan' times. You are either on my side or you are on theirs. Democrats and Republicans have both dug in their heels and find it very difficult to work with one another, except when it comes to one issue -- that issue is providing the money for U.S. wars overseas. All but 10 Democrats in the U.S. Senate just voted for a $717 billion military budget -- included in those who voted for that budget were both Senator Cory Booker and my opponent, Senator Robert Menendez. I am losing sleep over the impact/consequences of this military spending on civilians in the countries under attack, whether it's in Yemen or in Palestine or in Syria or Afghanistan or Iraq.

"At the same time, because of the on-going Mueller investigation, most of the media's attention has focused on Donald Trump's possible collusion with Russia. This has created an atmosphere similar to what it must have been like during the McCarthy era in the 1950s. Opposition to the wars can be seen as siding with Russia -- making it more difficult to assert strong and principled anti-war positions. Lastly, there are many people dissatisfied with the status quo. We saw it in the lead up to the November 2016 elections -- hundreds of thousands of people came out to hear Senator Bernie Sanders, a socialist, speak about how to address domestic problems such as health care, education, a living wage, income inequality, tuition-free college, etc. People were hungry for what he had to say. On the other side of the political spectrum, voters thought Donald Trump's message was the answer to the same domestic problems. In 2018, we see that such messages of 'democratic socialism' and the 'eco-socialism' promoted by the Greens have a lot of traction -- and many people are voting for younger candidates who support such programs. However, because of our 'winner-take-all' elections and all the corporate money funneled into our elections, establishment politicians are attempting to take those believing in and promoting a different kind of society and push them to the side. That makes me, as a Green, even more determined to continue pushing for a better country and a better world."

We get the pleasure of buying you a drink in a local pub. What are you drinking? (Non-alcoholic beverages OK!) – "I would likely order one of two different drinks, depending on how much time we were going to spend at the bar/pub and whether or not I would be driving afterward. Usually, I am driving, so my drink of choice is seltzer with lime. If I am not driving, or if I know we'll be hanging out for awhile, my drink of choice would be a white zinfadel or a shiraz wine."

Photo: sabrinforsenate.com

MURRAY SABRIN – LIBERTARIAN PARTY



Qualifications – Was the 1997 Libertarian Party gubernatorial candidate in NJ, and ran as a Republican candidate in the 2014 and 2008 U.S. Senate elections. Professor in the Anisfield School of Business at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Earned a Ph.D. in economic geography from Rutgers University.

From his website – Murray believes that social issues can best be dealt with at the local level where citizens can see the results of their generosity supporting effective nonprofits in their communities. Murray also is an enthusiastic supporter of the free enterprise system and thus supports reducing taxes as much as possible so individuals and families would keep more of their income to increase their living standards, save more for their future and increase their philanthropic donations. Businesses would benefit from lower tax rates by keeping more of their income to expand their operations, upgrade their equipment and hire more workers. As a son of Holocaust survivors, Murray is a passionate defender of the right to self-defense, civil liberties and peaceful relations with other nations." (read more here)

What are the top local issues you'll fight for in New Jersey if elected in November? – "Universal credits for donations to local charities. Let's empower local non-profits instead of politicians to help people the proven American way--voluntarism. Restore the full deductibility of local and state taxes on federal tax returns. Reform Title D of the Social Security; divorced parents must have their visitation rights restored, and we must reform Family Court in New Jersey. End federal prohibition of marijuana; decriminalizing smoking a plant that is safer than tobacco should be a priority. Reform skyrocketing Medicare premiums for middle-income seniors. Allow college graduates to use bankruptcy laws to eliminate the burden of student loans. Abolish federal regulations that are driving up health care costs for working families. Protect all our rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights."

How you would describe the current political climate in our country right now? And what can we do to improve it? – "People are looking for an alternative to the Republicans and the Democrats, who are both responsible for out of control federal spending, massive budget deficits, endless wars and massive spying on US citizens. They are tired of the corruption of career politicians and Wall Street insiders. People are frustrated because they correctly understand the government is working against them, instead of protecting their rights."

We get the pleasure of buying you a drink in a local pub. What are you drinking? (Non-alcoholic beverages OK!) – "Rum and coke in the summer. Screwdriver other times of the year."

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