Robert Menendez’s Poll Numbers Weighed Down By Looming Corruption Trial

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has had a rough couple of months. Back in January, Menendez’s poll numbers weren’t bad for a candidate facing re-election next year. A Quinnipiac University released on January 31st had Menendez 51% – 32% approval rating.

How things have changed. In a new Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday, Menendez’s approval rating has crashed to 41% approval and 41% disapproval. That’s a massive net change of a 19%.

The fact that Menendez’s approval rating is in free fall shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s following the New Jersey Senator’s corruption trial. In March, the Supreme Court turned down his petition to throw out the case.

Even more significantly, last month Dr. Salomon Melgen was convicted on all 67 charges he was facing. Menendez is facing 14 felony counts related to charges that Melgen plied Menendez with “gifts and political contributions” in exchange for political favors. With Melgen’s conviction, the chances that he flips and testifies against Menendez increased exponentially:

“A prominent Florida eye doctor has been convicted on all counts in his Medicare fraud trial, raising the possibility he could be pressured to testify in the bribery trial of New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez.”

Given all this, New Jersey Democrats are still standing by Menendez as he plans to run for re-election in 2018. Yet given the polling nose dive, Democrats might be having second thoughts.