Menendez job approval at 8%, poll shows

Support for Bob Menendez has cratered since his indictment, with approval ratings for the three-term United States Senator now at a jaw-dropping 8%-72%, according to a new Stockton University Poll released today.

More than seven in ten New Jerseyans (71%) think Menendez should resign from the U.S. Senate after he was indicted on bribery and conspiracy charges, and just 8% said he should remain in office; 80% of state residents are aware of the criminal charges filed against the senior senator from New Jersey.

Menendez’s approvals are one point better than Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was at 7% following his indictment for trying to sell Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat in 2008.  But less Illinois voters (70%) wanted him to resign before his trial than New Jerseyans.

Today’s poll is good news for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose approvals had plummeted to 15% toward the end of his second term.  Christie was almost twice as popular as Menendez is now.

A May 1981 Rutgers-Eagleton poll showed that 69% of New Jersey voters wanted U.S. Senator Harrison Williams to resign following his conviction in the Abscam scandal, while 20% said he should remain in office during his appeal.

The modern record for the lowest job approvals came out of Ohio in 2005, after Gov. Bob Taft’s criminal conviction left him at 6.5% in a Zogby poll; other polls had him in the 18% range.

Menendez has not said if he will drop his bid for re-election, although most believe he has no choice.  He already faces Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) in the Democratic primary, and First Lady Tammy Murphy is expected to also enter the race.  Other potential candidates include Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-Long Branch) and Donald Norcross (D-Camden), and former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes).

Kim announced his candidacy on September 23, one day after the Justice Department unsealed its indictment against Menendez.

The Stockton Poll was conducted from October 9-18 with a sample size of 630 adult residents and a margin of error of +/- 3.9%.