Bob Menendez Just Got Some Scathing News From His Constituents

AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) can’t seem to catch a break. After being indicted for offenses related to bribery, corruption, and violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), it seems nobody wants him to remain in office.

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The senator has faced calls from his Democratic colleagues in the Senate to resign. But now, a recent poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University suggests that an overwhelming majority of his constituents want him to step down as well.

In the aftermath of a series of criminal charges against New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, 70 percent of the state’s residents want him to resign, rather than serve out his term. According to the latest results from the FDU Poll, Menendez has lost the support of voters across the political spectrum, and reminding voters of the issue leads independent voters to be more likely to support Republican candidates in the upcoming election for control of the state legislature.

Seventy percent of NJ residents say that Menendez should resign in advance of a potential re-election bid next year, with just 16 percent saying that he should serve out his time in office. Republicans are more likely than Democrats or independents to say that New Jersey’s senior senator should go, but not by much: 80 percent of Republicans say that he should resign, compared with 67 percent of independents and 71 percent of Democrats. Support for Menendez serving out his term is higher among younger voters than older ones, as well as with Black residents, but even in that group, only 25 percent say that he should stay in office.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has indicted Menendez, his wife, Nadine, and three New Jersey businessmen. The prosecution alleges that the senator and his wife accepted bribes in various forms, including cash, gold bars, mortgage payments, and even a brand-spanking-new Mercedes-Benz. In exchange, the senator allegedly used his position of influence to benefit these businessmen and the government of Egypt. Menendez has denied the charges.

"Senator Menendez used his power and influence, including his leadership role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to benefit the government of Egypt in various ways," said Damien Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York during a press conference shortly after the indictments were announced.

Despite the indictments, Menendez has been defiant, refusing to step down. He indicated that he plans to seek reelection. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has been the most vocal critic of the New Jersey senator, going so far as to call for his expulsion from the upper chamber. While he is the only one calling for expelling Menendez, over one dozen Senate Democrats have called on him to step down.

However, it now appears that the senator has lost tremendous support among the people who voted him into office. This shows that even though he has not yet been convicted, the matter has taken a devastating toll on his political standing. While he has defied calls from Democrats to resign, is it possible that disapproval from his constituents would cause him to reconsider his stance? After all, if voters don’t want you in office, what is the point of remaining?

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Of course, if the allegations are true, it points to a man who loves having power. Therefore, he likely wouldn’t give it up this easily, regardless of what the people of New Jersey want. However, it might only be a matter of time. His term ends in January 2025, and if this polling is accurate, he may not have a choice in the matter if voters choose someone else to represent them.

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