A stampede of Senate Democrats, including some of the party's most vulnerable incumbents, called for Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey to resign on Tuesday. This came just a day after Menendez defiantly vowed to fight federal corruption charges and predicted he would be exonerated. While Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, defended Menendez as a "dedicated public servant" and refused to publicly push for his resignation, the chorus of Democrats calling for him to step down grew louder within the party.

Senator Cory Booker, a close friend and fierce defender of Menendez who testified as a character witness for him during his first corruption trial, was among those calling for his resignation. In a statement, Booker said that the "shocking allegations of corruption" were "hard to reconcile with the person I know" and that he believed stepping down was best for those Menendez had served.

Numerous Democrats running for re-election in politically competitive states also joined the call for Menendez to resign. Senator Jon Tester of Montana, who is running in a state that former President Donald J. Trump won by a large margin, said Menendez needed to go "for the sake of the public's faith in the U.S. Senate." Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a state that has shifted to the right in recent elections, said Menendez had "broken the public trust and should resign." Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada, who launched her re-election bid in a battleground state, said the corruption charges were a distraction that undermined the bipartisan work needed in the Senate.

By noon, more than a dozen Democratic senators had released statements calling for Menendez's resignation, with at least 24 senators reaching the same conclusion by the end of the day. Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, who is leading the effort to keep the party's hold on the majority, also called on Menendez to quit. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York agreed with Booker that Menendez should step down. The growing number of Democrats calling for his resignation raised questions about the path Schumer might take in the future.

Menendez's support among the public has waned, even before the latest indictment. Opinion polls indicated that public support for him was declining, a shift from his first criminal indictment. Democrats view their ability to get all of their vulnerable senators to run for re-election in 2024 as their biggest source of strength in holding onto their slim majority next year.

Although it took Democrats in the Senate several days to condemn Menendez, the floodgates opened on Tuesday with numerous senators rushing to release statements calling for his resignation. The lone Democratic voice over the weekend calling for Menendez to go was Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.

Even some Republicans jumped to Menendez's defense, arguing that Democrats should face the consequences of his conduct. However, Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Menendez should resign, stating that the case against him was "pretty black and white."

Booker's call for Menendez's resignation came as a blow to the senator, given their close relationship. Menendez and his wife are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for using his power as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to benefit Egypt. Menendez has vigorously denied the charges.

In addition to Booker, other Democratic senators who called for Menendez's resignation include Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Mark Kelly of Arizona, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Peter Welch of Vermont. Majority Leader Schumer initially urged caution and defended Menendez's right to due process and a fair trial.

The growing number of Democratic senators calling for Menendez's resignation, particularly those facing re-election in 2024, puts pressure on Schumer to address the issue. The silence from most Republicans on the matter is notable, with Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas being one of the few to comment, defending Menendez and criticizing the Department of Justice's handling of cases against public figures.