Support for New Jersey’s senior U.S. Senator has collapsed, Save Jerseyans, according to the results of a new FDU poll released on Thursday morning.
“Seventy percent of NJ residents say that Menendez should resign in advance of a potential re-election bid next year, with just 16 percent saying that he should serve out his time in office,” the polling organization reports. “Republicans are more likely than Democrats or independents to say that New Jersey’s senior senator should go, but not by much: 80 percent of Republicans say that he should resign, compared with 67 percent of independents and 71 percent of Democrats. Support for Menendez serving out his term is higher among younger voters than older ones, as well as with Black residents, but even in that group, only 25 percent say that he should stay in office.”
Menendez has alleged a racial motivation behind the bribery-based federal indictment, but 71% of Hispanics believe the state’s Latino senator should leave office.
Most senior Democrats including Phil Murphy and Cory Booker have called on Menendez to resign, but thus far the senator hasn’t budged.
“Menendez has been able to weather charges in the past,” said Dan Cassino, the FDU Poll director. “But this time, it just doesn’t seem like he has any real support left.”
Click here for the full report.
“Why” Menendez is holding on is a fair question; he still has a considerable warchest but nevertheless has next-to-no chance of winning a Democrat primary. Stubborness? Sure. He may also be hoping to negotiate the terms of his political exit or, perhaps, secure assurances that his son (a sitting North Jersey congressman) won’t lose part support in exchange for the father electing to go quietly.
