Bob Hugin: People of New Jersey know they can do better

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Bob Hugin: People of New Jersey know they can do better

Republican candidate for Senate in New Jersey says his state is becoming unaffordable. On 'Your World,' Bob Hugin slams the Kavanaugh confirmation process as a 'disgrace.'

This is a rush transcript from "Your World," October 9, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: Welcome, everybody. I'm Neil Cavuto, and you're watching "Your World."

You're also watching Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews. The president of the United States expected to leave for Iowa very shortly. He will be making a speech there.

Of course, he's been on a campaign run here where he's bringing up a number of issues, not the least of which is the improving economy, the Kavanaugh situation, where he is now sitting on the Supreme Court of the United States, in fact was listening to his first case today.

Before we get to any of that, before the president left the White House, he did stop momentarily to talk to the reporters, we're told actually for more than just a couple of questions, maybe 10 to 15 minutes' worth.

Once that tape is available, as Shepard just told you, we re-rack it and we start playing it.

To Blake Burman first at the White House with now the look for a replacement for Nikki Haley, I guess, huh, Blake?

BLAKE BURMAN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, the big news here at the White House today, Neil, of course, Nikki Haley stepping down as the United States ambassador to the United Nations.

That will be effective at the -- effective, rather, at the end of the year.  The president just spoke on the South Lawn, as you mentioned. He was talking about this and specifically some of the possible contenders to replace Nikki Haley. And he mentioned his daughter Ivanka Trump.

Now, just to put a pause on that for a second, there's been some speculation as to whether or not Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner could potentially fill that role. However, the president today, just a little while ago, as you will see on the video, said that Ivanka Trump would be wonderful in that role.

But there are anti-nepotism laws in play that would most likely prevent that. So it appears as if the president is potentially sidelining that possibility for the moment.

Another person that President Trump brought up was Dina Powell. She was here at the White House for about a year or so, left at the very, very beginning of 2018. She wasn't only an economic adviser to the president, but also a deputy national security adviser. The president apparently saying that she is under consideration.

So, too, we are told, Neil, to keep an eye on Ric Grenell, who is the U.S. ambassador to Germany -- Neil.

CAVUTO: Yes, all right, Blake, thank you very, very much.

I think a lot of people at home are familiar with the drill here. When we have the president speaking and it's not covered live, you have got a pool feed tape. He is done taking questions back and forth for press members who were greeting him as he was heading off to Marine One en route to Joint Base Andrews and Air Force One, will be taking off tonight for that big trip to Iowa.

All of this on the same day we had Nikki Haley surprising pretty much the entire political world, and keeping it a secret, no less, that she wants to step down as our ambassador to the United Nations. This would take place at the end of the year. So she's given the president plenty of time to find that replacement here.

What shocked a lot of people is how few she told. She did let the president know about this some time ago, the president sitting on it for a while to find the right opportunity to address that.

And, unlike other departures that sometimes have been announced via tweet - - for example, Rex Tillerson over at State before Mike Pompeo came on -- this was a very, very different case.

Let's look at this from moments ago, the president addressing reporters and their questions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: We thought up some more questions.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay back.

(CROSSTALK)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, OF THE UNITED STATES: Hello, everybody.

So, we're heading out to Iowa, where we have a big statement to make, as you know, on ethanol and for our farmers. Likewise, we're taking care of our refineries and our refiners, and they have done a fantastic job. But we want to get more fuel into the system, and this is a great thing.

But great for our farmers, and it was a promise that I made during the campaign. And, as you know, I keep my promises. So, that's the way it is.  So, we're heading out to Iowa. I assume some of you are coming.

Yes, please.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Well, Dina is certainly a person I would consider. And she is under consideration. We have actually many names, and Nikki has been great. Nikki is going to be working along with us and helping us with the choice.

Plus, she's going to help us with 2020. And Nikki is a great friend of mine. We have become real friends over the last period of time. She's done a fantastic job. And so she will be involved, and Dina certainly.  And there are others. I have heard a lot of names.

I have heard Ivanka. I have heard, how good would Ivanka be?

The people that know, it's nothing to do with nepotism. But I want to tell you, the people that know, know that Ivanka would be dynamite. But, you know, I would then be accused of nepotism, if you can believe it, right?  Yes.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: I think Ivanka would be incredible. That doesn't mean I -- I would pick her, because you would be accused of nepotism, even though I'm not sure there is anybody more competent in the world. But that's OK. But we are looking at numerous people.

And it is interesting. The name you just mentioned has been thrown about.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) There's a lot of speculation about the timing on a day that you could be celebrating the Kavanaugh nomination.

TRUMP: Well, we do a lot. This administration does a lot.

So you're right. Another administration would after, like, the Kavanaugh victory -- it's really a victory for the people. It's not for me. It's a victory to have a great justice for hopefully many years. But a lot of people would celebrate.

We go back to business the next day. And, you know, Nikki and I talked about this a year ago. And we ought to -- she really wanted to be here for about two years. We finished our big week last week at the U.N. We had a tremendous success. It was great.

And we thought, it's 30 days out. But, you know, Nikki is going to be involved with us for a long time. And she's going to help me also make that final pick. We're going to make a final pick. I would want to get somebody really good.

I think she's also brought a new level of prestige to that position. That position is, in terms of people wanting it, easier now in a way than it was before. Nikki has brought, obviously, great confidence. But she's brought great prestige to that position.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: That's a very good question. How do you keep your base energized now that you have the big Kavanaugh victory?

I would say that just by winning. Got to keep winning. We're doing a lot of winning. We're very happy with the USMCA, which is the -- I don't want to use the word NAFTA because it's a terrible word, because it was a horrible deal for this country.

But our deal with Mexico and Canada was fantastic. China wants to make a deal so badly. We will see where it goes. But I don't think they're ready yet, personally.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Probably. I mean, there could be. But a lot of those were paid protesters. You saw that. They're all unhappy because they haven't been paid yet. I have been calling it. They were paid protesters. That was professionals. That was orchestrated.

When you look in the halls of Congress and you see screaming like that -- and it's like chimes. One goes. The next goes. These are paid protesters. I don't know that their energy is great. I can tell you, the energy on the Republican side, I don't think it's ever been greater, maybe 2016, where as you remember, the energy was very good.

My man.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: I will. You have already got two Supreme Court justices through in your first term. How many more do you think you might get?

TRUMP: A lot of theories on that. It could be three.

Under one theory, it could be four. And then some people could say two could happen. So, you know, could be anywhere be from, I would say, one or two to four additional. So we will see.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: I hope everyone remains healthy. I'm very happy the way it is right now.

And we put a great man, and I think going to be a great justice on the court. But, you know, it's a guessing game.

What is an honor is that there have been presidents, many presidents, that never had a choice. And here I am, not even two years, and we have two.  And they're confirmed and they're on the court.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Yes, I believe Kanye West is coming to the White House. He's been a terrific guy. He loves what we're doing for African-American jobs, for so many different things, median income, as you see, at an all-time high, poverty level at the best rate, meaning the lowest rate so far. And Kanye is a smart guy.

And he sees that. And also coming with him, he said, you mind if I bring Jim Brown, big Jim Brown? Boy, would he be making a lot of money today, right? He was -- I call him unstoppable Jim Brown. And he's been a friend of mine. He's been really with us, because he gets it. He really gets it.

He sees that African-American and, by the way, Hispanic and Asian have never done better in this country. And he likes it.

My man.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: No, they're just trying to get me a message. But those messages don't work. They don't work.

But, no, I think they treated him with great respect, actually. You know, they had meetings besides just the news conference. And I think they treated him with great respect.

He had a great meeting with North Korea. And China, it's -- it wasn't so much -- I guess he was giving them a message, and they were giving him a message to come back to me.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: I don't know anything. No, I don't have any updates, no. A sad situation.

Yes.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: It was given to me. It was given to me. And I want to look at who drew it, you know, which group drew it, because I can give you reports that are fabulous and I can give you reports that aren't so good.

But I will be looking at it, absolutely.

QUESTION: Mr. President. the Kavanaugh nomination...

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: I think it's fantastic. Hope, she's the greatest. I love it. I think Hope is -- I'm so proud of her. And I'm very happy. I'm very happy for you, right? Was that announced officially now?

QUESTION: It was, yes.

TRUMP: I'm very happy for FOX, because they have a winner. Hope is a winner. And she has been from the beginning.

She was like literally right from first day. That was a small group. And, no, I'm very proud of Hope. And FOX has themselves somebody who is really great.

QUESTION: The petroleum industry opposes this idea of moving to (OFF-MIKE) percent ethanol year-round. They say it's going to hurt their industry.  What do you say to them?

TRUMP: Well, I want more industry. I want more energy. I want more, because I don't like $74. It's up to $74.

And if I have to do more, whether it's through ethanol or through another means, that's what I want. I want low prices. So I'm OK with it. You know, it's an amazing substance. You look at the Indy cars. They run 100 percent on ethanol. And you look at other certain forms of very modern energy. It's ethanol-based.

And that meant a lot to me. But what really means is, we're helping our farmers. And we're also going to be helping our refiners, and you know that, too, because they're both very important.

But the farmers have been so terrific, and they produce great product. So I think it's going to be great.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: And it has no impact 12 months. That was a misnomer. It really has -- there is no negative impact. In fact, there are those that say, you do this and the air is cleaner. I agree with that.

But they say, you go 12 months, instead of eight, you go 12 months, and the air is actually cleaner.

QUESTION: Mr. President...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Who did?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: No, I know nothing about it. I know nothing about it. I know Nikki. This is one of the most honest human beings you will ever see. So I just -- I haven't heard about that.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Well, that all depends on who she's going to be running against. I mean, I could tell you, you have some -- two really good ones right there right now. So I don't see her doing that, no.

QUESTION:

TRUMP: Well, Lindsey is a terrific guy. I think he wants to stay right where he is. Certainly, I would. But I think he's really happy. I will tell you what.

Lindsey really stepped up over the last two or three weeks. I thought it was fantastic. So Lindsey is a popular guy, and Tim is a popular guy. I think those are two people. And Nikki doesn't have that in mind at all.

QUESTION: Is Senator Graham popular enough to be your next attorney general, sir?

TRUMP: He is somebody that never asked me that question. I think he's very happy where he is. He's having a good time. And he really stepped it up. He's doing great.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Oh, yes, 100 percent. That's right. But we -- I didn't know her.  I mean, she supported somebody over in the primary. It turned out very well for me. She respected it.

And after that, we got along, as you would say, very well. She helped me in the election once I won the primary. And we really have been friends and we have been compatriots. We've been -- we've done a great job together.

The United Nations is at, I think, really a new level of respect. And we have worked together. We had a tremendous week last week. So, no, Nikki wants to work with us and also to keep it going. She wants to work -- I guess she said today a few times to a few of you she wants to work on the 2020 election with us.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Yes, I think they were. I think they were, yes.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Yes, I'm not -- I'm not going to say who I mean. I'm just telling, you had forces saying things that were evil. They were -- they were bad people.

And he is a very, very fine man. And what was said about him should never have been said (OFF-MIKE)

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: I know many. I know fellow Americans that are evil. I know -- are you saying we shouldn't say that a fellow American is evil?

I have known some fellow Americans that are pretty evil.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Go ahead.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Well, I like low interest rates.

The Fed is doing what they think is necessary. But I don't like what they're doing, because we have inflation really checked, and we have a lot of good things happening.

So I will say this. We're normalizing money. And that's good. But I think we don't have to go as fast. I want to be able to pay off debt.

Also, and very importantly, I think that the numbers that we're producing are record-setting. I don't want to slow it down even a little bit, especially when you don't have the problem of inflation, and you don't see that inflation coming back.

Now, at some point, it will, and you go up. I just don't think it's necessary to go as fast.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: I have not spoken to him about that. No, I like to stay uninvolved with that. I have not spoken.

How are you?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Well, he's very talented. But, no, I haven't, only because I know you people -- what would you do if I said that, right? What would they do?  Jared or Ivanka. How do you feel about Ivanka?

I think CNN would support her.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Look, they're two very competent people.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Well, I guess he's going before Congress.

We had a very good talk yesterday. And he's going before Congress. We will see how it all works out.

In the meantime, as you know, Senator Richard Burr came out just recently and said there was no collusion. He saw no collusion. This is after, what, a year-and-a-half.

And Devin Nunes, as you know, very smart people, he came out, there's no collusion.

There is no collusion. So, that's all I care about.

CAVUTO: All right, we strained there to see what we could get from the end of this here, the president making a couple of very, very interesting comments, one about the Federal Reserve chairman, that go slow on this interest rate thing, paraphrasing here, and also on Nikki Haley, the big news of the day, our U.N. ambassador, who is looking to step down by the end of the year.

He's considering a number of replacements. He was asked about his daughter Ivanka. He said that: People would accuse me of nepotism.

It was brought up a couple of times. Now, since that conference with reporters, before heading to Marine One and Joint Base Andrews, he is already on Air Force One on his way to Iowa for a big campaign event later on today.

Bill Richardson is joining us right now, our former ambassador to the United Nations under Bill Clinton.

Ambassador, very good to have you.

Assuming you are not asked to fill that spot, who do you think would be good?

BILL RICHARDSON, D-FORMER NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR: Well, what you want is a high-stature politician.

I think that -- not because I had it or Nikki Haley had it. You want somebody with access to the president, with foreign policy or domestic policy credentials. You want somebody that has the ear the president.  That's probably the most important.

But Nikki Haley leaving, that was a big surprise. That was a stunner.  This U.N. job is Cabinet level, Neil. It's a great job. You're the top person at the U.N., because we pay 25 percent of the U.N. in New York.  you're A big player.

So, I was rather surprised that she left. Maybe, with Pompeo and Bolton, these are very strong players. And in the past, she was sort of the star, with Tillerson and the national security adviser not being that visible.

So I don't know the motives. I'm not an insider. But maybe she wants to...

CAVUTO: But bottom line, you think that obviously Ivanka Trump would -- that would be a bad idea? I guess there are nepotism roles. So that came and went, that balloon?

RICHARDSON: Yes, that would be a bad idea.

Plus, there are very clear anti-nepotism rules. That's his daughter.  She's obviously close to him.

CAVUTO: Right.

RICHARDSON: And he uses her -- her influence and her views. She has access to him in other areas. That would be a bad idea.

CAVUTO: All right.

Ambassador, I'm sorry for the tightened time. It took a lot of time to hear the president's remarks.

Thank you, sir, as always.

These anti-nepotism rules are in effect after John Kennedy picked his brother Bobby Kennedy to be his attorney general. After that, they said, all right, enough of that stuff. We won't do that again.

Let's get the read on all of this from The Federalist's Emily Jashinsky.

Emily, what did you think of what the president now might be kicking around in the back of his mind to replace Nikki Haley and the role Nikki Haley plays now going forward?

EMILY JASHINSKY, THE FEDERALIST: Right.

I mean, I think we have heard a couple of names pop up today. And, of course, this announcement is only made today, surprising everybody. And so it's kind of amazing that we already have speculation and we already have reports about who's under consideration.

Ric Grenell is someone people have floated.

CAVUTO: Right.

JASHINSKY: Dina Powell is someone that people have floated as well.

Both of those options, you know, those are two people that the Trump family and that President Trump himself really respects. And, of course, as the - - as you know, we're more than a day at from Nikki Haley's announcement, we will have a better idea of who the president is looking to.

But, in particular, those two names jump out right now.

CAVUTO: You know, Emily, what was remarkable is, unlike other firings or dismissals that sometimes are tweeted out, unbeknownst to the person who's being removed, this was done very, very differently, both of them sitting next to each other, both saying good things about the other, well- telegraphed, at least on the part of the ambassador to the president saying these were her wishes, he keeping it secret for a number of days, maybe even longer.

What did you make of just the whole way this was done?

JASHINSKY: Two points on that.

I mean, first, it's absolutely remarkable that this didn't leak and that this was kept sealed for so long...

CAVUTO: Yes.

JASHINSKY: ... up until about 20 minutes before they joined together in the Oval Office.

And my second point is about that Oval Office meeting that they had itself.  That could not have been friendlier. And that is notable, because Nikki Haley, as the president himself acknowledges and mentions, is not someone that supported the president in the primaries.

She's someone that has actually, I think, done a good job expressing her disagreement with the president over the course of the administration when she does disagree with him. So it's not as though these two have always been on the same page.

But there are two people who have found a way to get along in this administration, two people with different views often, who have found a way to get along in this administration. She's one of the most successful people within the president's inner circle there, who has managed to do that while she has -- to maintain a good relationship with the president and with the public.

CAVUTO: And to speak her mind, right?

JASHINSKY: Yes.

CAVUTO: And remember when Larry Kudlow was saying something about her, she wouldn't countenance it, and she didn't check back with the White House.  She just called him out on it publicly. And he had to apologize.

But -- so she's her own woman. And I understand that.

I guess what I'm going to ask you is, is it your sense now that a lot of the chaos that was associated with the administration and people leaving and all has, in fact, actually died down considerably this year? I know books have been written and are still churning out bemoaning a White House in disarray, but that might have been the case in the first year, but it is slowing down right now.

JASHINSKY: Yes, exactly.

I actually agree with that. I think what we were seeing early on is growing pains of importing a lot of people from the private sector, a lot of people who want to shake up Washington and do things differently into government. And it wasn't an easy adjustment.

But I do agree with you. I think we have settled down a little bit. I think that process is out of the way. That being said, I think there's -- things are still chaotic, more than they would be under other presidents, people who have served in government their whole lives.

But I think certainly this is not like it was under Reince Priebus. The White House has settled into John Kelly's role, and, definitely, I think we have seen a lot of the chaos die down.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: All right, thank you very, very much, Emily Jashinsky.

Back to Blake Burman at the White House now, and the fallout from all of this.

They talk about having a formal press conference, Blake, and all of this stuff, but he has many of these type conferences, two of which would be a major press conference by anyone else's definition.

But what did you glean from what he was telling reporters?

BURMAN: We just heard from the president there, you're right, on the South Lawn? What was that, 15 minutes or so?

CAVUTO: Right.

BURMAN: As he is en route to Iowa.

Look, the big news over here at the White House today, of course, was the sudden departure of Nikki Haley. The White House got Haley's resignation, or at least some within the White House, on October 3. That was when her resignation letter was dated. It appears, Neil, as if maybe they waited until the end of the Kavanaugh proceedings to officially unveil this earlier today.

But the big question is, who now will replace Nikki Haley? The president says he wants to name her successor within the next two to three weeks.  Keep in mind she's on the job through the end of the year. And then this will have to go to the Senate for confirmation.

One thing that we learned from President Trump there on the South Lawn is that Dina Powell is indeed under consideration. She was a deputy national security adviser here at the White House for about a year or so. She announced her departure in December of 2017, left in January of 2018.

And it was pointed out to me earlier today, Neil, that one of the things that might hold back the possibility of Ivanka Trump potentially filling that role is the anti-nepotism laws. And indeed the president spoke about that on the South Lawn, saying, while she is highly qualified, in his estimation, to go potentially up to the U.N., it might not necessarily fit under the nepotism laws that are currently in place.

By the way, one other name to keep in mind here, when you think about this list -- I think I mentioned this off the top speaking to you a little while ago -- Ric Grenell, who is very well known, not only within this White House, who is liked by this president, but also has a history as well serving many years as a spokesperson for the U.S. at the U.N.

CAVUTO: Right.

BURMAN: Neil.

CAVUTO: And now ambassador to Germany, correct?

BURMAN: Right, yes.

CAVUTO: OK, buddy, thank you very, very much.

BURMAN: Thanks.

CAVUTO: Blake Burman.

All right, there are other storms to consider besides this political one and how the president deals with it, a very, very real one along the Gulf right now, where Hurricane Michael is a gathering a lot of steam and creating a lot of worry, and already in the case of Florida 35 counties that are under a state of emergency.

We get the latest right now on all of this from our own meteorologist Adam Klotz.

Adam, what are we looking at?

ADAM KLOTZ, FOX NEWS METEOROLOGIST: Neil, we're looking at a strengthening storm that is getting closer and closer at this point to the coast, likely around lunchtime tomorrow, but sitting currently at a Category 2 level storm.

I do want to take Weather 7. For the folks in the control room, that's what I'm going to need. But what we're looking at right now is the path where we're going to jump from a Category 2 storm up to a Category 3 storm.

You see it strengthening. When will this be making landfall? Well, we're talking about a landfall probably around tomorrow morning, at least beginning to see those early conditions tomorrow morning, perhaps 8:00 a.m., but landfall itself maybe closer to lunchtime. That's when it begins to weaken.

But there's still a little bit of indecision with this current track as we follow anywhere here off towards the eastern edge of it, maybe Apalachicola, farther off to the western edge of this, closer to Panama City.

That's where a lot of these models are taking this. And we remember the front right quadrant, that's where you see the worst of this. What will it ultimately bring? Well, we could see anywhere from eight to 12 inches of rain if this storm continues to move this way.

I think one of the larger things we're going to see is the storm surge, especially there in the Big Bend. There's not a lot of places for this water to go, eight to 12 feet of storm surge with this.

Neil, the one thing that we really pay attention to, also, a much faster moving storm with this one. Remember Florence. It -- we saw it, for one thing, a week or week-and-a-half out. It took a long time to get there.  People had a chance to prepare. But then it sat there and spun and spun and spun.

CAVUTO: Right.

KLOTZ: By the weekend, this is going to be up off the East Coast, kind of moving back out to sea.

This is going to hit. It's going to be that wind. It's going to be the storm surge. It's going to move on.

CAVUTO: All right, buddy, thank you very, very much.

KLOTZ: Thank you.

CAVUTO: Great reporting on this.

In the meantime, gauging where we stand four weeks out now when it comes to New Jersey. The state isn't only considered blue. It's more like navy blue, so how is it that the incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Menendez is in the race of his life, and now in a battle considered a tossup?

Meet his Republican Senate challenger, Bob Hugin, after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: It's still one of the bluer-than-blue states in the country, New Jersey. And Bob Menendez had a lock on a bigger-than-double-digit lead little more than a couple of weeks ago, now single digits.

The Republican who hopes to close it -- after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Good question. How do you keep your base energized now that you have the big Kavanaugh victory?

I would say that just by winning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAVUTO: All right, the president argued, just by winning, Republicans can change their political fortunes, and maybe pull out some unexpected victories, hang on to the House, hang on to the Senate, and maybe add to those numbers, particularly in the Senate.

We shall see. The Kavanaugh fury that it created among Republicans, who felt that the judge was treated poorly, now a Supreme Court justice, is going to resonate in November, four weeks from today, as a matter of fact.

Our next guest hopes to be a beneficiary of all of that, and in New Jersey, no less. He is the Republican candidate who is taking on the incumbent Democrat, Bob Menendez.

But here's the thing in this bluest of blue states. Normally, the Democratic candidate is up by double digits. And little more than a few weeks ago, Bob Menendez was. Right now, it could be considered a tossup, depending on the poll, anywhere from five to seven points.

The man who is leading that charge for the Republicans joins us right now, Bob Hugin.

Mr. Bob Hugin, very good to have you.

BOB HUGIN, R-N.J., SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: Neil, great to be with you.  CAVUTO: All right.

We should first preface here, as we have repeatedly, we put calls out that to Senator Menendez multiple times. He has yet to reply. I don't take it personally. At first, I thought it was my deodorant, but I think I'm fine.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: But we will see what happens, because, many times, they do appear.  And hope springs eternal.

But, Mr. Hugin, back to you. And you're a former top-notch executive over at Celgene. You have financed a lot of your race. You have poured a good deal of money into this, raised a good deal of money into this, in fact, more money than Senator Menendez. And whatever you are doing seems to be working.

But is it coming, do you think, too soon? Do you fear that you're peaking too soon, with four weeks to go, the Kavanaugh stuff dies down, and then boom?

HUGIN: No.

Neil, I have done over 400 campaign events already, with 28 days to go.  The people of New Jersey know they can do so much better. They're embarrassed and so -- been so underserved. So the momentum is palpable.

The race is -- in everything see, is a dead heat. And we're going to keep pushing to November 6. The people of New Jersey deserve better, and they are going to get better.

CAVUTO: All right.

Now, you are probably aware of the Nikki Haley situation today, sir, in which she said she is stepping down at the end of the year. Your opponent described it this way -- and I quote -- this is an announcement from Senator Menendez's offices: "Today's announcement that Ambassador Haley is resigning is yet another sign of the Trump administration's chaotic foreign policy and a setback from promoting American values and priorities. I'm deeply concerned about the leadership vacuum she leaves and the national security impact of her departure at this time of continued disarray for this administration."

What do you think of that?

HUGIN: It is just sort of quite ridiculous.

Here's a guy who has been in chaos his entire term here, running to stay one step ahead of the law. And he's worried about somebody else's chaos?

First of all, it seems to me that she spoke to the president six months ago, and she's staying until the end of the year. She's done a spectacular job. She's been a great public servant. And I hope she comes back into public service again near in the future.

But this seems to be incredibly well-handled.

CAVUTO: All right, much have been said about how the Kavanaugh situation was handled, and that it's going to lead to women voters in general almost monolithically going against any Republican candidate, yourself included.

What do you think of that?

HUGIN: Well, I think not.

I think that people look at the issue, and they realize the whole process was a disgrace, embarrassing for Democrats, embarrassing for Republicans.  Hopefully, this is the low point of politics and we can put this behind us.

And let's remember, I called for an FBI investigation, one of the first Republicans to call for one. And I continue to call for the FBI report to be released, so that when there's no corroboration that's justified, the FBI does great work, and we should support them.

And so I think we're going to be very good, because the issues we're talking about resonate with all New Jerseyans, all race, all religion.  Everyone in New Jersey knows they have been so underserved. We're 50 out of 50. We get the least back from Washington.

And we have a senator who the only bipartisan act he has been involved in is getting the Senate Ethics Committee to say that he violated federal law, abused the power of his office, disgraced the Senate.

The people of New Jersey are good people. They deserve so much better.  I'm down in South Jersey today. And there's so many good things happening, but the people of New Jersey deserve so much better.

CAVUTO: All right, now, the governor of New Jersey, as -- who has succeeded Chris Christie, Phil Murphy, he's a Democrat, again, steeped in Wall Street, Goldman Sachs, a lot of money earned from that.

He says that the people of New Jersey need a break and overwhelmingly support his move to hike taxes on rich folks like yourself and corporate taxes as well.

As a senator, there's only so much you can do on those state moves, but how do you feel about those efforts, when polls do bear the governor out that, at least for those average New Jersey voters, he has their support? Not so much the ones who he is targeting for tax hikes, but those voters who support the moves.

HUGIN: Well, Neil, I don't think that's reflective of really the underlying sentiment in New Jersey. And I'm out there seven days a week with people all across the state.

That's not the reality. New Jersey is becoming so unaffordable. Families can't stay together, with grandparents leaving the state, 18-to-34-year- olds out migrating at the fastest rate in the country. The state is overtaxed. It's unaffordable.

And I have to tell you, when I'm elected, I'm not going to worry about whether it's a city, a state, a federal issue, a county issue. I'm -- there's only two positions, the two senators and the governor, that every New Jerseyan gets to vote on.

I'm going to speak out on every issue, shine the light of day on all issues. And the number one issue for all New Jerseyans is the unaffordability of the state. We have got to put an end to it.

CAVUTO: So, you would be against those tax hikes on the rich? You would be against what he wants in the 2 percent hike in corporate taxes?

HUGIN: Listen, I -- I do believe should have a progressive tax situation, but we -- when you go too far and upper-income people leaving the state with their capital, and we're losing the millennials, and how are you going to create the jobs of the future if you don't have the capital and the young people who have the aptitude to create and integrate information technology into the economy today?

That's where the jobs of the future come from. And New Jersey is on a bad path, and we have got to reverse it.

CAVUTO: You know, it is interesting that, four weeks to go, and there was one, I believe a Star-Ledger poll -- I hope I have it right, the source right -- that said one in five Hispanics in the state aren't sure who to support and have not committed themselves to Bob Menendez.

Were you surprised?

HUGIN: Yes.

No, listen, I grew up in Hudson County and Union City. And it's a great county with great people. I was there in the Hispanic Heritage Month Parade in North Bergen, Guttenberg, West New York and Union City on Sunday.

The response was tremendous. I think all people of New Jersey recognize we're a great state, diverse, but we share the same interests. We want safe communities, good education system. We went economic opportunity.

And I have to tell you, all New Jerseyans want those same things. And, Neil, I have to tell you, the deregulatory reforms that have -- under way have really unleashed the economy.

I go all across the state. I just -- I think the economy is doing so well generally. Obviously, New Jersey's is tough because of the affordability issues. But we have got to contain this momentum.

And, hopefully, interest rate hikes will not be too premature or too aggressive and derail what is an incredibly strong economy. We need to get New Jersey on that train, because we're not benefiting as much as other states are.

CAVUTO: Have you been in contact with the president? Do you want him to be campaign to you in New Jersey?

HUGIN: You know, Neil, this is about New Jersey. This is Bob Menendez vs. Bob Hugin.

People in New Jersey deserve better. I want people to come and support me who are going to talk about the issues that are important to the people of New Jersey. That's what I'm focused on every day. I will not fill out any special interest questionnaires.

My wife and I are financing the campaign mostly ourselves.

CAVUTO: So you don't want the president to come? I mean, it's a very blue state.

HUGIN: I -- I...

CAVUTO: He might do -- it's not your fault. It's not his fault. But that's not a state that he came close to winning.

HUGIN: Yes. Yes.

Well, we're keeping this focused on New Jersey.

CAVUTO: OK.

HUGIN: Bob Menendez vs. Bob Hugin.

CAVUTO: OK.

Stepping back and the mood of the electorate here, let's say you do get elected to the Senate. Do you support some of the economic policies the president has pursued, this getting tough on trade? It's yielded results with getting agreements with Canada and certainly with Mexico, the European Union.

He has made progress there. He is scaring some folks about the China situation, whether a lot of your voters or those you want to be your voters will be adversely affected this holiday season. But would you support a lot of those moves?

HUGIN: Listen, a lot of the economic conditions are very positive.

Deregulation has been very important to unleash the economy. We were eight years always looking over our shoulder of taking risk and being penalized for taking risk and doing the things to create jobs.

So lots of things have to be continued. Now, I do have to tell you that the cap on $10,000 on state and local tax deductions was bad for New Jersey, because that's going to really put a pinch on the middle-class property values in terms of sharing more of the real estate burden, the real estate tax burden on the middle class.

So we have got to do something to alleviate that over time. But, remember, Neil, when TPP was up, I was in the Roosevelt Room with President Obama explaining why we thought that was a bad deal. And we helped stop that in the life science industry because it was bad for American consumers. It was bad for American intellectual property.

So we have been engaged on economic issues. I have been engaged on economic issues for a long time. Fair trade is important. Free trade helps the consumer, helps the economy, helps job creation.

Tariffs are not a good idea. They're bad for the economy, bad for consumer, bad for job creation. But if they're a negotiating ploy, then we have got to give the president time.

And so it looks like what happened with Canada and Mexico, it worked. So we got to make sure we support things that are going to be helpful for job creation and the economy in New Jersey.

CAVUTO: Do you think the situation with Justice Kavanaugh has united the Republican Party, at least that status wing or the establishment wing, for lack of a better term, the Bush wing, if you will, vs. the Donald Trump loyalists, that it has brought everyone together in the party?

HUGIN: Yes, I have to tell you Neil, I really hope it brings all Americans together, because I don't think...

CAVUTO: All right.

HUGIN: ... if you're Republican or Democrat, you can be anything but embarrassed that two people's lives were hand -- were really exploited for political gain and disadvantage.

So I hope this is the low point in politics.

CAVUTO: All right. Mr. Hugin, thank you very, very much.

Four weeks to go. I know you will be busy. We appreciate it, sir.

HUGIN: Thanks so much, Neil. Great to be with you.

CAVUTO: All right, Bob Hugin.

Again, we have put in calls multiple times to Bob Menendez, his office.  Hope springs eternal. We try for everybody. But if we ended up not featuring anyone simply because we couldn't get one side, we try to raise their concerns.

And, again, as I say, Senator Menendez, you're always welcome.

We will have more after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, Nikki Haley will be stepping down. The question is, who steps up?

And in the middle of foreign policy battles we have got with the likes of the Chinese and the North Koreans, they say timing is everything.

Mike Emanuel with the latest on how of all this is, well, trying to be sorted out.

Hey, Mike.

MIKE EMANUEL, FOX NEWS SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Neil, good afternoon.

Republicans and Democrats do not agree on much these days, but all here sound disappointed to hear of Ambassador Nikki Haley's scheduled departure.  Majority Leader Mitch McConnell addressed Ambassador Haley a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, R-KY., MAJORITY LEADER: Her tenure will be remembered for her proud reassertion of American moral leadership and her fearless willingness to turn a bright spotlight on critical challenges from Israel's sovereignty to Iran's sponsorship of regional violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL: And this from Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, saying -- quote -- "Nikki Haley has been a fierce advocate for U.S. interests during her time as U.N. ambassador. While I hated to hear of her departure, I have enjoyed working with her and I'm thankful for her willingness to serve."

And here was instant reaction from South Dakota Senator John Thune.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN THUNE, R-S.D.: I think that, when she got there, I think people understood there was a new sheriff in town when it comes to how she handled herself at the U.N. and with respect to the U.N. -- the U.S.' commitments to the U.N., whether it's dollar-wise.

And I think she just took a very tough posture on a lot of important issues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL: Democrats have taken the opportunity to be critical of President Trump and his foreign policy, but have heaped praise on Ambassador Nikki Haley's service at the United Nations.

For example, here's a senior Democrat from House Foreign Affairs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. BRAD SHERMAN, D-CALIF.: Well, she was an effective diplomat.  She will be missed. I don't think the president will find anybody better to fill the spot.

It seems very peculiar that the announcement was made before the midterm elections. And they will certainly talk that she might be appointed to become senator from South Carolina if Lindsey Graham ends up in the administration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL: Exactly four weeks from those midterm elections, and the timing caught everyone here on Capitol Hill off-guard -- Neil.

CAVUTO: Did you say four weeks? I thought you did.

EMANUEL: Four weeks to the day.

CAVUTO: All right, thank you, buddy.

EMANUEL: You bet.

CAVUTO: Mike Emanuel. Go ahead, just rub it in.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: All right.

A lot of protests were going on outside the Supreme Court today. This was the first full day Justice Kavanaugh was there and hearing his first case, if you will, asking some rather probing questions as well -- after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, they were protesting outside while, inside, Brett Kavanaugh was hearing his, well, first case.

What was the read from our own Judge Andrew Napolitano?

What do you think?

ANDREW NAPOLITANO, FOX NEWS JUDICIAL ANALYST: Well, from our reporters and producers in the courtroom, he accepted the mantle of the newest justice, which is let those who are ahead of you in seniority question first, don't blow the case open with some question from deep right or deep left field, and use a little humor.

And all of those things happened. Now, we don't know how he's going to vote on it. It wasn't a profound ideological case.

CAVUTO: Right.

NAPOLITANO: Much of what the Supreme Court does -- and this -- I want to correct the public misperception -- about 95 percent of it is below the radar screen and not ideological. It has to do with the meanings of words and phrases and where commas are in statutes and whether a defendant was believable or whether a trial judge exceeded her or his discretion.

But there is that 5 percent that is very ideological. And that's what everybody is waiting for.

CAVUTO: Right.

And, in this case, he didn't tip his hand in terms of how he thought, just that he was raising questions on legal issues, right?

NAPOLITANO: Correct. Correct.

This was an issue involving violence.

CAVUTO: Right.

NAPOLITANO: And he asked a very simple question, like, under your argument -- he was interrogating the government lawyer.

CAVUTO: Right.

NAPOLITANO: A tap on the shoulder could be violence.

Before the lawyer could answer, Justice Sotomayor pinched Justice Gorsuch on the cheek. Everybody roared. She said, was that an act of violence?

So, when you can bring -- help bring that levity, A, you submit your relationship to the other justices. B, you have played the appropriate role. C, you have zeroed in on the issue. What is an act of violence?

Congress enhanced punishment for certain acts of violence, but it didn't define violence. The government, of course, wants an expansive definition.  And Justice Kavanaugh was questioning how expansive that definition could logically be.

CAVUTO: Last night at the White House, with all the other eight justices there, have we ever seen anything like that before?

NAPOLITANO: No, we haven't.

And I have been harshly critical of it. It was a Republican political rally in the White House, under the guise of a ceremonial swearing-in.  That the justices should sit there while the president called his opponents evil and perpetrators of a hoax was highly inappropriate and, in my view, shouldn't have happened.

CAVUTO: And a couple of the justices looked uncomfortable.

NAPOLITANO: And rightly -- and rightly so.

CAVUTO: Alito looked uncomfortable and Ruth Bader Ginsburg looked uncomfortable.

NAPOLITANO: It's one thing for Justice Kavanaugh to be in the White House, consulting with our former colleague Bill Shine and the others about getting him across the finish line, and them calling him Brett.

It's entirely another thing for him to be in the White House after he is a sitting justice and for them to treat him as he's little Brett.

CAVUTO: Who made that call? And if you're a justice, why do you agree to it?

NAPOLITANO: I think the request came from the White House. And it was complied with by -- I'm going to guess -- because I think I know his thinking -- Chief Justice Roberts, who basically said, we have got to show some unity, guys.

I know it's a Monday night. I know it's a holiday weekend, but we got to show up and we got to show some...

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO: And given the special nature of contentiousness of this, I could see some of the rationale behind it, but it did look weird.

NAPOLITANO: I think the president took advantage of them.

You know how they can show unity? And I think this is coming. Some unanimous opinions.

CAVUTO: Wow.

NAPOLITANO: Wait a minute. Justice Kavanaugh said what? Justice Kavanaugh joined in this?

Yes. He is a different person now.

CAVUTO: Now, the protests that were happening outside, still happening today, you think that dissipates? I mean, how long did it take for Clarence Thomas?

NAPOLITANO: Yes. I think the protests will go away soon.

Absolutely constitutionally protected speech, the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, as long as it doesn't interfere with what goes on inside the courtroom, which it won't.

CAVUTO: All right, thank you, Judge, very, very much.

If you were closer, I would pinch you to see your reaction.

NAPOLITANO: That's an act of violence.

CAVUTO: Yes. Is that an act of violence?

NAPOLITANO: I'll tell you what. The next time Gaspo is here, pinch him.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: Oh, believe me, I don't want a left hook at my face.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: All right, thank you very, very much, my friend.

All right, we're going to give you the latest update on Hurricane Michael barreling in on the Gulf Coast of Florida right now, 35 counties already declaring a state of emergency. I believe this thing makes landfall sometime tomorrow morning.

We're on it right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAVUTO: All right, here comes Michael.

And here comes Phil Keating right on Michael's tail. He is in Florida right now.

Phil, what's the latest?

PHIL KEATING, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest from the White House, President Trump approved Florida's request for an emergency declaration, feds, state and local authorities all working together to coordinate.

According to the Department of Defense, they think Florida at this point is as prepared as it needs to be. But there's a lot of people ready to deploy search-and-rescue type operations.

All this plywood went up this morning, in anticipation of storm surge up to 12 feet. Sandbags line this whole street. This is Water Street. And the local say, if it goes as high as 12 feet, all of this will be underwater where we are.

Gasoline stations around the Panhandle and the Big Bend area, they had long lines all day. Oftentimes, they ran out of gas. And also you had traffic evacuating all day yesterday.

Most people in this town of Apalachicola, the southern point of the Big Bend, they're gone. They're certainly not out on the streets. A lot of people did leave town. And you can see right here this is city hall, and relatively a main street, and just hard to find anybody around here at all.

Shelves are empty at all the stores. Basically, if you're a resident and you're not prepared yet, this is exactly the last moment you have -- back to you, Neil.

CAVUTO: Phil Keating, thank you very, very much.

It's taking aim at Florida, as Phil was saying, 300 miles of coastline already under hurricane warning, 35 Florida counties under a state of emergency, not like Florence that sat around and stayed a while. This one could be lickety quick, but do a lot of damage in the process, maybe as a Category 3.

"The Five" is now. 
 
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