A recent political poll from Quinnipac reflects the affect rumors of romping with under-aged prostitutes and questionable friendships can have on your approval rating as an election official. The February 21, 2013 poll shows Senator Robert Mendendez’ approval rating in his home state of New Jersey dropped a whopping 15-points in less than a month.
The Cuban-American Senator’s rating is now at 39-42 percent versus 51 percent from January 23, 2013. Ouch. An overwhelming majority of New Jerseyians have heard some or all of the controversy swirling around the Senator. They clearly are focused and not distracted by their Governor’s (Christie) donut eating excursion on TV.
Controversies that include taking unreported private planes to engage prostitutes privately or at sex parties, some allegedly under-aged, at his good friend Dr. Salomon Meglen’s Dominican Republic estate. Dr. Melgen also appears not to be a friend to have your name associated with in light of his medicare fraud issues and business dealings in the Dominican Republic. There are also reports that the Senator might of gone to bat for his friend in the halls of power where he works – maybe because Melgen is a good pal with lots of cash or because he’s the Senator’s pimp. You decide.
The Democratic Senator who has been on the forefront of comprehensive immigration reform has not been charged with any wrongdoing and many of the rumors remain just that.
However, as the Quinnipac pollsters put it “More than two thirds of [NJ] voters have heard of his troubles and the more they know, the less they approve.”
Menendez has been a U.S. Senator since 2006 and for sometime was the sole Latino Senator; now he is one of three Hispanic Senators elected. He was re-elected to another six-year term in 2012 with an overwhelming majority vote.
Not sure the Senator could pull that easy of a re-election if held today in New Jersey.
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Read more Estelle Walgreen at Hispanically Speaking News