UNION CITY, N.J. (AP) — Eschewing any mention of the corruption scandal that dogged him for years and put his political career in jeopardy until two months ago, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez officially launched his bid for a third term Wednesday, telling a cheering gymnasium full of high school students that "I am here because I am your vote."

The 64-year-old New Jersey Democrat is being challenged by Bob Hugin, a Republican political newcomer who formerly headed Celgene, a pharmaceutical company.

Wednesday's announcement came less than two months after the Department of Justice elected not to retry Menendez on bribery and fraud charges. A trial ended in a hung jury last fall, and Menendez had taken steps to campaign for a third term even in the face of a possible retrial.

Only fellow Democratic Sen. Cory Booker referred to Menendez's travails, and obliquely at that.

"If you kick a lion when he's down, you'd better be careful when he stands up," Booker said.

That echoed Menendez's comment at a press conference after his mistrial in November when he said, "To those who were digging my political grave so they could jump into my seat, I know who you are and I won't forget you."

Menendez assailed President Donald Trump's policies on immigration, guns, health care and other issues and said he would fight for New Jerseyans against a president who "divides us, distracts us, but does not deliver for us."

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy called Menendez New Jersey's "indispensable senator" for his work on immigration, storm recovery after Superstorm Sandy and getting federal funds for a new Hudson River rail tunnel.

The contours of the race are emerging.

Menendez campaign adviser Mike Soliman said the senator "stands up to greedy CEOs," while Hugin spokeswoman Megan Piwowar said "corrupt career politician Bob Menendez has failed New Jersey."

Democrats are defending 10 Senate seats in states Trump won in 2016, as Republicans work to preserve their narrow 51-vote majority.

Despite the freshness of the corruption case, Hugin faces a number of hurdles, even with his ability to spend millions of dollars of his own cash to boost his campaign.

New Jersey has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972, and Democrats have nearly 900,000 more registered voters than Republicans, though unaffiliated voters are the state's biggest voting bloc.

"We know he can fund himself but what else?" Fairleigh Dickinson University political science professor Peter Woolley said of Hugin. "He is unknown. He is running with an unpopular Republican in the White House. And his Republican base is outnumbered by Democrats. That's already three strikes."

Hugin will have to answer "for his support of both Chris Christie and Donald Trump, who are anathema to New Jersey voters," Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky said.

A Quinnipiac University poll in March showed Menendez leading Hugin by 17 points. The poll surveyed 1,052 New Jersey voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 points. The same poll showed slightly more people had an unfavorable view of Menendez than a favorable one, though 46 percent approved of the job he is doing compared with 39 percent who disapproved.

Hugin is a Marine veteran and successful businessman who promises to be an independent voice in Washington.

"With the right candidate you win elections," said Doug Steinhardt, the Republican state party chairman.

In attacking Hugin's business dealings, Democrats are citing Celgene's $280 million settlement last year over allegations that it promoted cancer drugs that were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Celgene did not admit liability in the agreement.

___

Catalini reported from Trenton, New Jersey.