Not true. NJ Dems have a great bench of people to run for stuff.
Like? I just moved to Florida 3 months ago. I lived in NJ for 20 years. Outside of a few local officials like Shvonda Sumpter or old men like Rothman or Holt, there aren't many strong candidates that could even think about challenging a sitting senator.
Not sitting senator strong, but there are some good ones. All the congressmen from the D's except Coleman and Pascrell, and they are good too, just too old, Jeff Van Drew, Sheila Oliver, Sweeney, Greenwald, etc.
Oliver, Sweeney, and Greenwald are all terrible by virtue of being involved in Trenton leadership and all that entails. Van Drew is clean enough to take on Menendez but intolerably conservative for statewide Democrats (which is the same reason he's seen as acceptably aloof from corrupt leadership).
As for Congress, Pallone is the only one credible statewide. Pascrell and Coleman are too old, Sires is a ghost who shares Menendez's base and might lose his own primary, Payne is an empty suit, and Norcross is Norcross.
New Jersey Democrats are in a no-win situation – to become well-known, candidates have to accept some level of corruption. Meanwhile, Republicans can keep producing Leonard Lances and Jay Webbers from the Trenton minority.
Steve Fulop or John Wisniewski might be credible enough to mount a primary challenge, but it's too late now.
