By Matt Rooney
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Need a little good news (and something that doesn’t have anything to do with Russia)?
Happy to oblige:
There’s more data out this afternoon to suggest that Bob Menendez is in deep trouble this cycle, Save Jerseyans, and some hope for anyone who’s hoping that this year won’t be another ‘walk’ for the New Jersey Democrat Party’s top of the ticket.
On Monday, Gravis Marketing released the results of a likely voter survey showing incumbent Bob Menendez (D) leading Bob Hugin (R) by only 2-points — 43% to 41%. A full 16% were still undecided.
The 2-point gap separating the general election rivals is within the poll’s 4-point margin of error.
Menendez’s “severe admonition” appears to be having at least some impact on our fellow New Jerseyans’ thoughts concerning this year’s U.S. Senate contest. Critically, a full 56% of those polled reported that the Senator’s bribery trial was playing at least some role in their voting decision; his job approval rating sits at 40% while 50% disapprove.
Click here to view the full results.
This isn’t the first indication of a potentially close November contest.
In May, a Farleigh Dickinson survey found Menendez leading Hugin among registered voters by 4-points.
Bob Hugin’s campaign war chest — and a super pac set up to attack his opponent — have both reported millions in cash raised for an air war that’s already commenced. With under four months left to go before the Midterm ballot, Menendez vs. Hugin is shaping up to be the GOP’s best chance of winning a U.S. Senate seat in the Garden State since another ethically-challenged Democrat (Bob Torricelli) had to be subbed out for Frank Lautenberg in 2002.
New Jersey hasn’t elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 1972, the last pre-Watergate midterm election.
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