Democratic Rep. Andy Kim defeated Republican real estate developer Curtis Bradshaw on Tuesday to become the next U.S. Senator of New Jersey, in a highly anticipated race to succeed Bob Menendez after his federal bribery conviction.
The contest was quickly called by the Associated Press just moments after polls closed statewide at 8 p.m..
Menendez resigned from office over the summer, after he was convicted of selling the power of his office to a group of businessmen and acting as an agent of the Egyptian government. FBI agents found stacks of gold bars and $480,000 in cash hidden in Menendez’s house.
Menendez, who pleaded not guilty, intended to run for re-election as an independent but withdrew his bid in August. He is set to be sentenced in federal court on Jan. 29, a nearly three-month delay from his originally scheduled date.
Kim has served three terms in the House of Representatives. He was expected to face a primary challenge from Tammy Murphy, the first lady of New Jersey, until she dropped out of the race.
Gov. Murphy had appointed his former chief of staff, George Helmy, to the interim post. Helmy has said he will resign after Tuesday’s vote is certified, according to The New York Times, with Murphy expected to elevate Kim to the post about a month early.
New Jersey has not elected a Republican senator in 52 years, the Times reported. Polls consistently showed Kim ahead of Bradshaw in the deeply blue state.
