As biotech and pharmaceutical millionaire Robert Hugin explores a bid for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, here are 9 things to know about Bob Menendez’s potential opponent.
1. Hugin, 63, grew up in Union City, Menendez’s hometown. They both graduated high school in 1972. Menendez went to Union Hill High School, while Hugin was across town at Emerson High School. Hugin’s father was an assistant manager at Western Union in Jersey City.
2. He went to Princeton University, then spent seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps before getting his MBA at the University of Virginia. He worked as an investment banker for J.P. Morgan & Co. for fourteen years. Hugin met his wife, Kathy, a bond trader, while working on Wall Street. Kathy’s father was a well-known trial lawyer who served as a federal prosecutor in the 1950’s. They have three children and live in Summit. They also have a vacation home in Colorado.
3. He joined Celgene Corporation, a biotechnology and pharmaceutical company, as CFO in 1999. He was CEO from 2006 to 2010, and Chairman from 2010 to 2016. Now he’s Executive Chairman. Hugin earned $22.5 million there in 2016. Forbes estimates the value of his Celgene stock at $33.9 million.
4. In July 2017, Celgene paid $280 million to settle claims that it marketed cancer drugs for uses that were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One of the drugs, Revlimid, brought in over $7 billion in revenues.
5. Hugin was once a Menendez supporter, contributing $4,800 to the Senator’s 2012 re-election campaign. He is also a contributor to the Celgene Corporation PAC, which has already contributed $5,000 to Menendez’s 2018 re-election campaign.
6. He is close to Gov. Chris Christie. He contributed $250,000 to Christie’s super PAC, $2,700 to Christie’s presidential campaign and $5,000 to the Leadership Matters for America PAC. Christie’s best friend, Republican National Committeeman Bill Palatucci, is advising Hugin through his exploratory process.
7. Hugin has strong ties to President Donald Trump. He was a Trump delegate to the 2016 Republican National Convention, gave $100,000 to a super PAC backing Trump, $5,200 directly to the Trump campaigns, and $150,000 to the Republican National Committee in the 2016 cycle. He also contributed directly to twenty state parties across the country. He was on a finance committee to raise money for Trump’s transition team.
8. He has made nearly $1.7 million in federal campaign contributions, nearly all of it to Republicans. He gave $100,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC, and $300,000 to Paul Ryan’s committees, and another $100,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.
9. Hugin served on the board of Choose New Jersey, a non-profit partly financed by companies barred from contributing to Christie because of pay-to-play laws. The group has picked up expenses for much of Christie’s international travel; it is run by Christie ally Michele Brown.
Outstanding success story from humble beginnings at Emerson High School. Bob I am absolutely certain Mr. Armento was proud of you before but he would jumping for joy should you decide to throw your hat in ring. Remember our game against Cranford HS. Running in NJ could be just as hard, but I m sure you will be better prepared than we were that day.
Hugin for Senate 2018 you have my full and my family’s full support. New Jersey needs serious leaders not drama queens.
Mr. Wendelken,
I couldn’t agree with you more. I grew up around the block from Bobby and he always was a quality individual. I could not think of a better person to represent New Jersey. He was a pretty good at Whiffle Ball and Box Ball too. He was someone you could always count on to do the right thing. I remember when he stood up for me in the neighborhood, when we first moved to Union City. Finally, a real leader, for New Jersey. I am proud to have known Bob as a kid, and will be proud to call him our Senator!
From the 12th Street Alley to Senate Floor! Good luck Bobby!
This is our last opportunity to oust Sen. Menendez. It’s now or never. If we don’t, we will have Menendez for another 6 years. Hugin seems like a reputable man and someone we can trust. Spread the word and volunteer to work on his campaign either making phone calls, emailing, giving out literature door to door. Every bit helps to get him elected. Contact the Jersey RNC in Toms River or Hugin headquarters in Mountainside, NJ
I dunno, from this article, it seems Hugin is a Christie/Trump republican multimillionaire who made his money as an investment banker and CFO/CEO of a shady pharmaceutical company. This is not what New Jersey needs and I won’t be voting for him.
Shady pharma company??? You obviously are not well informed since Celgene took a drug that everyone had given up on and found that it worked better than anything to save HIV/AIDS patients and allowed them to live. No big pharma company did that or would take on that risk. They also found other unique drugs that successfully treated auto-immune diseases that no other drug could. Their developments have saved and prolonged thousands and thousands of lives. New Jersey needs a successful business person who can get the state back to what it should be.
What is Hugin’s position on gun control? Has his campaign received money from the NRA or any of its affiliates?
I agree that Hugon is just as ethically challenged as Menendez though he has raked in a lot more money with his shenanigans. Pay lobbyists to keep a monopoly earning big bucks while exploiting cancer patients. A winner – not in my book.
4. In July 2017, Celgene paid $280 million to settle claims that it marketed cancer drugs for uses that were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One of the drugs, Revlimid, brought in over $7 billion in revenues.
Least Hugin is not a crook ….menendez needs to go big time! What has he done for you…for me nothing but spend our money and line his friends pocket contributed big time to him time to drain the swamp and get someone I. Theory that’s not a politician….please go out and vote for Hugin defeat and destroy menendez we need a change for NJ …next to go should be Spartacus booker
How come after 14 years in the Corps you got out? My guess is because you were a Captain and did not make Major and was put out.
Semper Fi
Dave Popper – A guy serves in the Marine Corp for 14 years and all you can say is he left because he wasn’t promoted… Sounds like you already cast your vote for more corruption and more sleeping with underage prostitutes – Hopefully New jersey will make a change
I was born and raised in Union City and its nice to see some familiar last names in here from the system but let’s get real both these men are from a town that at one point was left for dead, 80’s/90’s. I have seen Bob Menendez as a child walk around bergenline as a Mayor with a bulletproof vest and not get detered from Political death threats and has always stood up for people from UC and NJ and Americans. Not once while i lived there did i ever see Hugin come back and uplift his own people from his own community. Exploiting patients for record breaking profits is not a success story its the new shameless american way that we have to break away from! The nerve of people forgetting all the good Menendez has done for this Great state of NJ.
I agree with you Kimberley M., this is a delicate subject, but that someone has dirty hands, he has them!