(05/29/06) -

Kean, Menendez Tied in New Jersey

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – The Garden State’s two main candidates for the United States Senate are even, according to a poll by Strategic Vision. 35 per cent of respondents in New Jersey would support Republican state senator Tom Kean Jr., while 35 per cent would vote for former Democratic U.S. congressman Robert Menendez.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) – The Garden State’s two main candidates for the United States Senate are even, according to a poll by Strategic Vision. 35 per cent of respondents in New Jersey would support Republican state senator Tom Kean Jr., while 35 per cent would vote for former Democratic U.S. congressman Robert Menendez.

Three-in-ten respondents remain undecided. Support for Kean increased by one point since April, while backing for Menendez increased by three points.

In the November 2005 gubernatorial election, Jon Corzine—a Democrat—defeated Republican candidate Doug Forrester with 54 per cent of all cast ballots. Corzine had served as New Jersey’s junior senator since 2001. Menendez will serve out the remaining one year of Corzine’s Senate term.

Both Kean and Menendez will take part in their respective primaries on Jun. 6. Kean will face financial data analyst John P. Ginty, while Menendez will contend against James D. Kelly Jr., who ran unsuccessfully against Corzine in last year’s gubernatorial Democratic primary.

On May 25, Menendez supported the Senate’s immigration reform bill that places illegal immigrants in three different groups depending on the amount of time they have spent in the U.S. Kean spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker criticized the senator, saying, “He’s advocating a tough and smart approach to border security, yet he votes against an amendment that would help secure our borders.”

The election is scheduled for Nov. 7.

Polling Data

If the election for United States senator was held today, whom would you support Robert Mendenez, the Democrat or Tom Kean, Jr., the Republican?