The GOP establishment is already coalescing around Bob Hugin, CEO of the pharmaceutical superstar Celgene and a friend of both Donald Trump and Chris Christie, as a formidable well-heeled opponent for the ethically-hobbled Bob Menendez this fall.
On Monday, Hugin took a concrete step towards a run by resigning from his company.
“It has been a tremendous privilege to be part of Celgene’s growth and to help advance Celgene’s mission to serve patients through scientific breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer and other serious medical conditions,” said Bob Hugin in a statement. “I am thankful to my colleagues at Celgene, as well as to patient advocates, medical researchers and physicians across New Jersey and throughout the healthcare system for their collaboration in advancing this fundamentally important mission in the service of patients.”
Sources expect an announcement early in February.
Those same sources anticipate Hugin’s willingness to spend millions on his own race, a situation the depleted New Jersey Republican Party hasn’t enjoyed this decade.
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