Bob Menendez observed Monday morning that infrastructure is “not always viewed as an exciting issue.”

He could say that again. Menendez, Rep. Albio Sires, D-12th Dist., and a host of local officials had journeyed to the eastern tip of Bayonne to highlight a $1.1 million federal grant to Bayonne Dry Dock, which provides repair, docking and other services to a wide range of vessels.

It was a hot and muggy morning, but the view was impressive.

Look one way over the Hudson and there was the majestic Verrazano Bridge. Look the other way and you could glimpse the Statue of Liberty.

Back on solid terrain, the senator talked about how the grant would bring jobs to the plant and how it’s another sign of his concern for the region’s infrastructure. He ticked off some of his past accomplishments, including money to dredge Newark Bay and his backing years ago (He was mayor of Union City at the time) of the Bergen-Hudson light rail system.

The money for Dry Dock will allow it ultimately to service more vessels. The company now employs 280 and the senator said about 50 more may be hired because of the grant.

But as we said, bolstering infrastructure is important, but hardly sexy.

So it was no surprise that it took only one question from the press about this year’s campaign for Menendez to go after Republican challenger Bob Hugin, who he said “made a killing” on cancer drugs.
The senator specifically referred to how Hugin is underwriting ongoing TV commercials, the latest of which plays up the fact both men hail from Union City.

The ad tracks Menendez’ path as a “career politician” and goes back to Menendez’ run for the state Assembly in 1987. Interestingly, Menendez’ political career began years before that with a 1974 run for the Union City Board of Education. The upshot of the Hugin ad was the senator’s recent indictment and admonishment by his peers in the Senate.

While the charges against the senator were dropped after a jury was unable to reach a verdict, we can see already the centerpiece of Hugin’s campaign – Menendez is corrupt.

And we know as well how Menendez is going to fire back. Expect the senator to eventually start running ads highlighting the $280 million Hugin’s old pharmaceutical company, Celgene, paid to settle a suit charging the firm with improperly marketing a cancer drug.

Menendez also seized on stories over the weekend that Hugin had opposed admitting women into eating clubs at Princeton University, which he attended.

Noting that Hugin seems to be trying to espouse a centrist position on some issues, Menendez said, “But his actions belie his words.”

All races for the Senate are important, but this one has major consequences. Democratic Senate challengers have been polling well against GOP-held seats in such places as Arizona, Nevada and Tennessee, but if Dems have any chance of taking control of the Senate, they can’t afford a loss in New Jersey.

Recent polls have the Menendez-Hugin race closer than it probably should be in a “blue state,” but keep in mind Menendez has not started running TV commercials yet.

Hugin has said his views on women’s rights have evolved over the years. Either by design or sheer coincidence, the Republican is sponsoring a “Ladies Night” on Aug. 6 at the Railyard Tavern in Fair Lawn. A promo for the event talks of pizza, wine, beer and trivia.

Menendez was also asked about President Trump’s late Sunday night tweet threatening Iran.

Menendez agreed that the Iranians are bad actors on the world stage, but veered off into a general condemnation of Trump’s foreign policy.

He said the United States needs allies, but that the president enjoys giving the nation’s traditional friends the back of his hand while cozying up to the likes of Vladimir Putin.

“Why chummy up to someone who is screwing over our democracy?” Menendez asked.