The chances of Democrats winning the New Jersey Senate race to replace indicted Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) have improved now that a messy primary battle will be avoided following first lady Tammy Murphy’s decision to drop out.

Murphy’s announcement came one day ahead of the filing deadline, leaving Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) as the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after the embattled incumbent Menendez announced he would not run for reelection as a Democrat last week. But Menendez also left the door open to running as an independent.

The recent development prompted the nonpartisan Cook Political Report to change the race rating from Likely to Solid Democrat even with the added factor that Menendez could decide to run as an independent later in the cycle.

“With Kim essentially locking up the Democratic nomination — even though indicted Sen. Bob Menendez is threatening to run as an independent — it’s clear any acrimony in the race that could have threatened Democrats’ control on this seat has largely dissipated,” according to the Cook Political Report.

“We’ll continue to monitor any effect Menendez may have on the race, but with Murphy’s exit and the state machine likely set to line up behind Kim, this race has a clear trajectory,” the outlet added.

If Menendez were to run as an independent, he would only need 800 signatures by June 4 to get on the ballot. The New Jersey senator faces a scheduled trial date of May 6. He has pleaded not guilty to charges in an expansive federal bribery case.

The federal government has charged him with accepting bribes in exchange for political favors, acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, and obstruction of justice.

Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in New Jersey by nearly 1 million, and it has been 50 years since New Jersey elected a Republican senator. However, Democrats acknowledge they have a tough road ahead to retain their Senate majority, and there’s no room for error.

“The country is at an inflection point, with Donald Trump bearing down on the country and Democrats needed to stay unified and [Murphy] made it clear that she was not in good faith going to engage in any kind of campaign that would facilitate the need to tear down another Democrat, go scorched earth,” Democratic strategist Jon Reinish said.

Reinish acknowledged that Democrats are looking at a challenge map this cycle and that they certainly did not need more uncertainty with a race that typically trends solidly blue. Twenty Democratic-held Senate seats are up, as are the three held by independents who caucus with the Democrats. Just 10 seats controlled by Republicans will be on the ballot.

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“Democrats have to try to hold on to Ohio, have to try to hold on to Montana — some pretty red states,” Reinish said. “Look at Maryland, that’s suddenly maybe on the map for Republicans.

“Democrats don’t want to see John Cornyn or John Barrasso to be the next Senate Majority Leader and if they can avoid something like that — it’s certainly a wise move,” Reinish added. “Tammy Murphy for her part showed a lot of leadership and that she wasn’t putting herself first and there’s really something to be said for that.”