Sen. Bob Menendez is collecting signatures to get on the ballot in New Jersey as an independent as he tries to salvage his foundering career in the upper chamber. 

Mr. Menendez, New Jersey Democrat, is facing federal charges of fraud, extortion, bribery and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt from 2018 to 2022 — including when he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

The lawmaker announced in March, four days before the primary filing deadline in the Garden State, that he wouldn’t seek reelection as a Democrat but would consider running as an independent if a jury exonerated him of his charges. 

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Though Mr. Menendez’s trial isn’t over, it seems he’s already planning to continue his political career.

The New Jersey Globe reported he needs 800 registered voters to sign the petition by June 4 to qualify as an independent candidate. 

Should he gather enough signatures, Mr. Menendez has until Aug. 16 to decide whether to stay in the race.

The Democratic Party in New Jersey appeared to have moved on from Mr. Menendez after news broke in September that an FBI raid on his home yielded a stash of gold bars valued at $100,000 and cash worth $486,000 — some of which was stuffed into the pockets of clothing hanging in his closet. 

Rep. Andy Kim, New Jersey Democrat, launched his campaign for Mr. Menendez’s seat shortly after and is a prohibitive favorite to win in November. 

Mr. Menendez’s trial began this month and is expected to last until early June. Prosecutors accused the senator of working on behalf of his co-defendants, businessmen Fred Daibes and Wael Hana, to take action benefiting the governments of Egypt and Qatar in exchange for bribes. 

Mr. Menendez has denied the charges. The lawmaker is no stranger to the courtroom, with the latest corruption trial marking his second battle with the legal system in the last decade. 

The senator was hit with similar charges in 2017, but came out a free man after the trial ended with a deadlocked jury.