New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez’s approval rating has dropped to 8% following last week’s indictment of he and his wife over alleged bribery, fraud and extortion, according to a poll released Thursday.
Menendez pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to the charges relating to allegedly receiving lavish gifts — like cash, gold bars and a luxury car — in return for political favors in the Senate. The senator has rejected calls from his Democratic colleagues to resign, and received a 74% unfavorable rating since the indictment, according to a survey conducted by liberal firm Public Policy Polling.
The poll suggests that Menendez would lose by double digits to a “Republican Opponent” if he runs for another term in 2024, and to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who’s running for president, by 3 points. New Jersey Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who announced a primary challenge to Menendez following the indictment, would overwhelmingly beat both a “Republican Opponent” and Christie in a general election, according to the survey.
The poll surveyed 565 New Jersey voters from Sept. 26 to Sept. 27. (RELATED: Bob Menendez Signs Letter Warning Of ‘Corruption’ Amid Bribery Indictment Scandal)
NEW JERSEY
Opinion of Senator Robert Menendez:Favorable 8%
Unfavorable 74%.@ppppolls/@votevets (D), 565 Voters, 9/26-27https://t.co/ZJ3mMHPHsG
— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) September 28, 2023
Prior to his indictment, a Monmouth University Poll released in mid-August suggested Menendez had an approval rating of 35%. The senator has held the seat since 2006, and served in both chambers of New Jersey’s state Legislature, according to Ballotpedia.
Though Menendez decided to step down as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he maintains that he’s “not going anywhere.” Numerous elected Democratic officials in New Jersey, including Sen. Cory Booker, have called for Menendez to resign, along with a long list of Democratic senators.
Several Democratic members of Congress have also said they will either return or donate campaign funds received from Menendez’s political action committee, New Millennium, including Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, and Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jon Tester of Montana, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania.
Menendez did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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