Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez's (N.J.) federal corruption trial is not just causing him legal problems but political ones as well, with only 20 percent of New Jersey voters saying he deserves to be reelected next year, according to a new poll.
A new Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday showed that just one in five New Jerseyans believe Menendez should be reelected in 2018, Politico reported.
Menendez's approval rating is just 31 percent, with 49 percent disapproval. An even 50 percent of registered voters think Menendez, who is on trial for bribery, does not deserve reelection. That number includes 41 percent of Democrats, 61 percent of Republicans, and half of independents.
At the same time, voters do not want unpopular GOP Gov. Chris Christie—whose approval rating is just 16 percent, with 79 percent disapproval—to select Menendez's replacement if he resigns or is removed from office. Republicans are hoping to gain a Senate seat by forcing Menendez from office and allowing Christie to select a replacement.
A mere 3 percent of respondents want Christie to appoint himself, 24 percent want him to appoint someone else, and 68 percent want him to wait for a new governor to make an appointment. Even a narrow majority of Republicans want to wait for a new governor to make the pick.
Menendez was indicted in 2015 on charges of carrying out "official favors" for his friend, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen, in exchange for private jet flights, vacations, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. Federal prosecutors allege that Menendez started taking bribes from Melgen right after he entered the Senate in 2006. The trial began earlier this month.