The despicable Bob Menendez is apparently so unpopular that he might actually lose his race, according to the Cook Political Report, who has just moved his race into a ‘toss-up’ status:
THE HILL – The Cook Political Report has shifted Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-N.J.) reelection race to a toss-up in New Jersey, a depressing development for Democrats, who are having to protect a seat in a deep-blue state when they need to focus on protecting members in states where President Trump is more popular.
Menendez is facing a tough challenge from Republican Bob Hugin, a former pharmaceutical company CEO, in what’s become a closer-than-expected race in a state that Trump lost by 14 points in 2016. New Jersey hasn’t elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972.
Jennifer Duffy, a Senate analyst for Cook, wrote on Friday that the race has become solely about Menendez’s ethics problems and voters’ lack of enthusiasm. Menendez, who has denied any wrongdoing, has weathered attacks over his 2015 indictment of bribery and fraud charges.
His trial ended in a hung jury, and federal prosecutors later dropped the charges. But the Senate Ethics Committee “severely” admonished Menendez earlier this year over the case.
“The biggest threat to Menendez’s re-election is not so much Hugin than it is the voter who goes to the polls and decides to send Menendez a message, much the way many did in the primary when 38 percent voted for his unknown primary opponent,” Duffy said.
“There is certainly a thumb on the scale for Menendez, who is said to have a lead of between four and six points, in this very blue state, but the race is close enough to warrant a move to Toss Up.”
Polls have shown Menendez leading with a mid- to high single-digit margin. But Hugin has been willing to massively spend out-of-pocket, loaning his campaign a total of $27.5 million. He’s heavily outspent Menendez, though the senator has gotten some help from national Democrats, specifically millions in advertising from Senate Majority PAC.
Just like with Hillary, Bob Menendez didn’t get the justice he deserved. But wouldn’t be awesome if he actually lost his Senate race because of that whole ordeal? That would be amazing.
But let’s not get our hopes too high. It is New Jersey after all.