A guilty verdict, on the other hand, could have had major ramifications in the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow majority. If Menendez had been convicted, there would probably have been pressure on him to resign, or for fellow senators to expel him. If his seat had become vacant before mid-January, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) would have been able to appoint his successor, probably turning a Democratic seat Republican until a November 2018 midterm election. But it was not clear that even if Menendez had been convicted, he and his fellow Democrats would have gone along with his ouster.