Two-thirds of voters say they have heard about U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s trips to the Dominican Republic on a donor’s plane, according to a new Monmouth University poll.
Only 24 percent think the senator was involved in any wrongdoing, but 65 percent of New Jerseyans say they do not know enough to decide. Eleven percent say they do not think Menendez was involved in wrongdoing.
A series of news articles in recent weeks have revealed a close relationship between Menendez, D-N.J., and Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor and prodigious Democratic donor.
Menendez flew to the Caribbean nation on Melgen’s jet in 2010 and stayed in the doctor’s resort home, but did not report the flights on disclosure forms; in January, he reimbursed Melgen $58,500 for the trips and flights. The senator has denied any wrongdoing.
Despite the wave of negative news, the poll found only 26 percent of New Jersey voters have a negative opinion of Menendez. Another 39 percent said they have a favorable opinion, and 35 percent said they had no opinion.
The survey, which had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points, was conducted between Feb. 6 and 10.
Looking at New Jersey’s other U.S. Senate seat, it found Newark Mayor Cory Booker with a significant advantage over Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., in a hypothetical 2014 primary match-up. Booker received support from 40 percent of people, while Lautenberg took 25 percent.
Booker has expressed interest in running for the 89-year-old senator’s seat. Lautenberg, though, has not said he will step down when he comes up for re-election next year. He suggested Booker deserved a “spanking” for presuming the current senator would not run again.
Despite Lautenberg’s low polling against Booker, 41 percent of New Jerseyans said they have a favorable opinion of the current senator. Another 21 percent have an unfavorable opinion, while 38 percent said they have no opinion at all.
