Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez's re-election chances are looking worse than ever
Sen. Bob Menendez's (D-N.J.) worst nightmares are coming true in New Jersey's Senate race.
In such a reliably blue state, two-term incumbent Menendez was originally favored to win re-election over Republican challenger Bob Hugin this fall. But amid scandals and nasty political ads, the Cook Political Report has moved the race from "likely Democrat" to "toss-up," it announced Friday.
The shift comes as poll after poll has shown Menendez's lead slipping, with the latest Rutgers-Eagleton study putting him just five points ahead of Hugin. That's just outside the study's margin of error of 3.6 percentage points, and a huge shift from the 17-point lead Menendez had in March. Similarly risky Senate races for Democrats have so far come in states that voted for President Trump in 2016. But 55 percent of New Jersey went to Hillary Clinton, and the state hasn't elected a Republican senator since 1972.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In this case, it seems Menendez's ethics scandals are the problem. Menendez has been accused of using his Senate seat to benefit a wealthy friend in exchange for campaign donations and private jet rides, and was indicted in 2015 on federal corruption charges. Those charges were eventually dismissed, but an anonymous tipster accused Menendez of soliciting underage prostitutes as part of his corrupt spending. That uncorroborated account is now the subject of a harsh and misleading ad from Hugin, who's wildly outspent Menendez on TV ads, says the Cook Political Report. Couple that with the fact that 54 percent of New Jersey voters say Menendez's trial factors into their vote, per the Rutgers-Eagleton poll, and Menendez seems to have two very rough weeks ahead.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 24, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - taped bananas, flying monkeys, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Spanish cop, 20 million euros and 13 tonnes of cocaine
In the Spotlight Óscar Sánchez Gil, Chief Inspector of Spain's Economic and Tax Crimes Unit, has been arrested for drug trafficking
By The Week UK Published
-
5 hilarious cartoons about the rise and fall of Matt Gaetz
Cartoons Artists take on age brackets, backbiting, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Global court issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu
Speed Read The International Criminal Court issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who stand accused of war crimes
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz bows out, Trump pivots to Pam Bondi
Speed Read Gaetz withdrew from attorney generation consideration, making way for longtime Trump loyalist Pam Bondi
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom ban
Speed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published