Menendez Holds Four Point Lead Over Challenger in Latest Poll
A large number remain undecided.
Scandal-ridden Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) has taken a tumble in polls, which means his re-election isn’t such a sure thing.
Menendez only has a four point lead over his Republican challenger Bob Hugin, a former pharmaceutical executive.
The poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University found that 28% of the people asked would vote for Menendez while 24% chose Hugin.
HOWEVER! 46% of those polled remain undecided:
“Senator Menendez’s recent federal trial and bipartisan admonishment by his Senate colleagues are clearly taking their toll. It’s not uncommon for incumbents to cruise to reelection, but these numbers suggest he’s going to have to woo voters like he hasn’t had to in a long time,” said Krista Jenkins, director of the poll and professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Although a bare majority of Democrats say they support Menendez (53%), 42 percent remain undecided, with slightly more Republicans supportive of their presumptive nominee (60%). Most of the all-important self-identified independents (68%) would not know for whom to vote if the election were held today.
Last November, a jury came back deadlocked and a judge declared a mistrial in the corruption case against Menendez. He faced charges for bribery, honesty services fraud, and conspiracy. He allegedly used his position in the Senate “to proffer favors for big-moneyed campaign donor, Dr. Salomon Melgen.
He may have escaped jail time, but in April, the Senate Ethics Committee publicly “severely” admonished Menendez and ordered him to repay gifts. The committee concluded that his “actions violated Senate Rules and related statutes, and reflected discredit upon the Senate.”
Jenkins stated that the ethics committee decision came now instead of later this year because it gives him “time before November to reclaim a more favorable place in the heart of his constituents.”
Hugin’s spokeswoman Megan Piwowar said the results aren’t a surprise since “[W]hen given the choice between a proven job creator and former Marine like Bob Hugin, and a corrupt ineffective career politician like Bob Menendez, voters will continue to move steadily in our direction.”
RealClearPolitics and The Cook Political Report have New Jersey as Likely Democrat.
New Jersey’s primary happens on June 5. It’s predicted that Menendez will beat his challenger Lisa McCormick, a community newspaper publisher, and Hugin will come out on top of businessman Brian Goldberg.
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Comments
Beware the NJ Democrat party switching out their candidate at the last minute. They have done it before
Having had the misfortune of living in NJ for 17 years after an unwanted job transfer and before being financially able to leave at post haste speed, the State with its high Real Estate Taxes, high cost of living, Toll Roads, and congested living conditions has no redeeming qualities and is truly a place to avoid.
But to add insult to injury, the State has a history of some of the most corrupt politicians that may be found in the Country, the latest being Mr. Menendez who succeeded Jon Corzine once Corzine got elected to be Governor and go on the fame while CEO of MF Global Holdings that was the subject of a scandal for which he was fined $5 Million (http://observer.com/2017/01/jon-corzine-gets-5-million-fine-and-lifetime-ban-for-tanking-mf-global/).
“Hugin’s spokeswoman Megan Piwowar said the results aren’t a surprise since “[W]hen given the choice between a proven job creator and former Marine like Bob Hugin, and a corrupt ineffective career politician like Bob Menendez, voters will continue to move steadily in our direction.”
Maybe. Maybe not. The problem is apathy overload or jaded junk:
Another corruptocrat. Another election. Another round of negative ads. The dou-opoly lesser of 2 evils, blah, blah – amid work, kids, errands, etc.
Maybe Menendez has run his course and is on the electorate’s last nerve for his sheenanigans, but he’ll probably win yet another election.
Then again, I’m jaded.
Only 4 points? Little Bobby must be in a whole heap of trouble with the Mob.
With the codicil that polls in general aren’t realible, and that it’s still a bit early, for a challenger to be within 4 pts with 46% undecided is a very good place to be.
The fact that anyone would vote for this criminal is enough to show how fragile representative democracy is. Right now our system is riddled with rot it’s on the way to collapse.
What, Captain Corruption is actually AHEAD in the polls? Honestly, I think the voters of his district should hie themselves to a computer technician post haste. I think their brain’s hard drive has crashed. Fortunately, they apparently didn’t keep anything important on it.