- Sen. Bob Menendez is viewed favorably by just 14% of New Jersey Democrats, according to a new poll.
- The senator, facing corruption charges, is polling in the low double digits in future head-to-head matchups.
Sen. Bob Menendez insists he is innocent, just as he did the last time he faced charges of corruption.
But New Jersey Democrats are ready to toss him out: a poll released Thursday found that as few as 5% of Democratic respondents would support the indicted lawmaker in a future primary contest.
Menendez, accused of accepting gold bars in exchange for using his power to enrich an Egyptian businessman, has ruled out resigning from his position despite calls from many of his own Democratic colleagues. That sets up the possibility of a contested primary race in June 2024. Rep. Andy Kim announced last month that he felt "compelled" to challenge the incumbent.
Though it's just a single poll, and more data is needed to accurately assess the race, to call the findings troubling for Menendez would be an understatement.
According to the survey of 502 likely Democratic primary voters from Public Policy Polling, just 14% of those polled said they have a favorable opinion of Menendez, compared to 67% who have an unfavorable view of the senator. In August, before the federal indictment was unveiled, Menendez enjoyed a 58% approval rating among New Jersey Democrats, according to a survey by Monmouth University.
By contrast, a majority of respondents had a favorable view of Kim.
When PPP asked about a possible head-to-head contest, 63% of respondents said they would prefer Kim, 28% were unsure, and just 10% said they would back Menendez.
In a contest where New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy enters the race, Menendez seems to find himself in an even worse position, based on the poll. In that three-way race, 42% said they would back Kim, 19% said they would back Murphy, and just 5% said they would back Menendez.
The results are a marked contrast from polling of likely Republican presidential primary voters who must also weigh an indicted candidate's chances. Despite facing multiple criminal indictments, recent polling shows former President Donald Trump is viewed favorably by a majority of GOP voters, most of whom are now backing his third bid for the party's presidential nomination.