Indicted Sen. Bob Menendez is considering running for re-election as an independent, sources say

WASHINGTON — Indicted Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., is considering running for re-election in November as an independent, two sources who spoke with him directly tell NBC News.

Menendez, who along with his wife, Nadine Menendez, is facing 18 federal counts and is charged with taking bribes, has not yet publicly said if he would run again this year; his term is up in January.

The powerful New Jersey Democrat stepped down from his post as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after his initial indictment but has rejected calls to resign.

He is now making calls to allies about his record and career and is preparing to collect petitions to run in November as an independent, the sources said. If Menendez were to run as a Democrat, he would need to come up with 1,000 signatures by March 25 — so time is not on his side. But running as an independent would give him more time; in that case, he would need only 800 signatures by June 4 to qualify for the ballot.

A clearly frustrated Menendez did not deny that he's planning to run as an independent when asked by NBC News Thursday afternoon, saying multiple times: “I don’t have to declare what I am doing. When I do, everybody will know.”

Several New Jersey Democrats have already filed to run for Menendez's seat, including Rep. Andy Kim and the state's first lady, Tammy Murphy. The Democratic primary will take place on June 4.

Kim called the news "really alarming," telling NBC News that Menendez' considering running as an independent is "just another clear example of putting his own personal benefit ahead of what’s right for this country.”

"There is no way that he can win this seat," he continued. "But what he could do is jeopardize this seat and give Republicans a chance."