New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez filed a petition on Monday to run as an independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in the Garden State.

In a statement Monday, Menendez said he had submitted more than enough signatures to run and intends to continue his work as an “independent Democrat.”

According to the New Jersey Department of State, his petition had 2,465 signatures.

Independent candidates need 800 signatures to appear on the ballot for the general election for the U.S. Senate in New Jersey.

The deadline for submitting signatures is Tuesday at 4 p.m., the day of the New Jersey party primary.

Menendez also spoke about his ongoing corruption trial in which he is accused of accepting cash, gold bars, luxury watches and other perks from New Jersey businessmen in exchange for official favors for the businessmen and the governments of Egypt and Qatar.

Menendez, 70, denies any wrongdoing and previously called the charges “overzealous.”

“I am more confident than ever that the people of New Jersey and the rest of the American public will acquit me of the charges against me and re-elect me to the Senate,” Menendez wrote.

MORE: Senator Bob Menendez bribery case: What you need to know as the trial begins

Menendez chose not to run in the Democratic Senate primary in New Jersey while the indictment was pending. He said in March he would not seek another term as a Democrat, but left open the possibility of running as an independent in November.

“I will not be running in the Democratic primary in June,” he said in a video statement at the time. “I hope that my rehabilitation will occur in the summer and allow me to run as an independent Democrat in the general election.”

ABC News has reached out to Menendez's campaign team and office for comment.

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In a statement to ABC News, Representative Andy Kim, who is running in the Democratic primary for Senate and entered the race last fall in response to Menendez's indictment, wrote: “Americans are tired of politicians putting their personal interests above what is right for the country. Everyone knows that Bob Menendez is not running for the people of New Jersey, he is running for himself. It is high time for change and I will work to restore integrity to the U.S. Senate.”

The New Jersey Globe was the first to report on Menendez's plans to run as an independent candidate.

Bob Menendez is running as an independent for Senate in New Jersey. Originally published on abcnews.go.com