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March 24 (UPI) -- New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy announced Sunday that she is suspending her campaign for Sen. Bob Menendez's Senate seat. Menendez is facing bribery and obstruction of justice charges. Menendez announced Thursday that he would not seek re-election in the Democratic primary but did not rule out the possibility of an independent bid this summer. Murphy made her announcement Sunday via social media.
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"After many busy, invigorating, and yes, challenging months, I am suspending my Senate campaign today," Murphy said in a post on X.
"I have been genuine and factual throughout, but it is clear to me that continuing in this race will involve waging a very divisive and negative campaign, which I am not willing to do," she said.
"And with Donald Trump on the ballot and so much at stake for our nation, I will not in good conscience waste resources tearing down a fellow Democrat," she added.
Murphy's decision comes just days before a judge is expected to rule on a lawsuit aimed at curtailing power brokers' influence over the election process in New Jersey.
Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who is also running for the Senate seat, had asked the court for a preliminary injunction eliminating the "party line" -- a ballot structure that allows county leaders to give preferential treatment to their endorsed June 4 primary candidates.
But the judge in the case was concerned, and the defendants argued, that the time frame was too tight to make such a change. But with Murphy dropping out, the urgency to address the primary ballot design is gone -- meaning "the line" could be in place for the coming primary election.
"We will continue our efforts to strengthen our democracy in New Jersey while we come together to stand up against the dangerous agenda pushed by Trump," Kim said in a statement Sunday, suggesting the lawsuit would continue. The congressman praised Murphy as "a voice for progress and public service in our state," adding, "I respect her decision to carry on that work as First Lady."
Advocates of changing the party-line system raised questions about Murphy's decision to withdraw from the race.
"This sudden change of heart on the part of Tammy Murphy, on the eve of the ruling of Judge [Zahid] Quraishi on the controversial New Jersey county line, seems more than suspicious," Yael Niv, president of the Good Government Coalition of New Jersey, said in a text message.
"The Good Government Coalition of New Jersey - and the whole grassroots community that has been fighting the line for years - wonder if this announcement is not a last ditch effort to save the county line. This just feels very Jersey. It seems like the party machine that was propping up the First Lady has asked her to take one for the team," Niv continued.
Murphy, the wife of two-term New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, entered the Democratic primary in November as a first-time candidate with previous GOP connections.
Menendez has denied the charges against him, which include accepting high end international hotel suites, bribes, and receiving gold bars in exchange for political favors for Qatar and Egypt, among other things.
