You know things are bad when the Democrats have to worry about holding on to a Senate seat in the deep blue state of New Jersey.
But, that is exactly what Democrats are facing as Bob Menendez, the ethically challenged Senator from New Jersey is fighting for his political life against Bob Hugin. Usually, the Democrat in this race leads by comfortable double-digit numbers. But rather the last three polls show the race being close. With two of the polls within the margin of error and the third not far behind. Menendez fooled the jury but he can’t fool the voters.
Sen. Bob Menendez’s double-digit lead in his bid for re-election in New Jersey has disappeared, according to a new poll that shows Republican Bob Hugin has closed the gap to single digits.
Mr. Menendez, a Democrat who recently escaped prosecution in a corruption trial, leads Mr. Hugin by a 6-point margin, 43-37, in a poll of New Jersey voters that Quinnipiac University released Wednesday.
“As Sen. Robert Menendez sees his once dominant lead whittled down to single digits, New Jersey voters are sending a clear message,” said Mary Snow, polling analyst for the Quinnipiac Poll. “They are troubled by the ethics cloud hanging over him.”
The poll showed Mr. Menendez’s approval and favorable ratings are underwater, with 47 percent disapproving of his performance and 47 percent giving him a negative favorability rating.
Ethics has emerged as the top issue in the race, with a quarter of New Jersey voters saying it was their biggest concern.
The last elected Senator from the Garden State was Howard Alexander Smith, who left office on January 3rd, 1959. (That’s almost 60 years for you liberals)