Sources close to Bob Menéndez assure that the senator will not seek re-election in November
The bribery case and poor performance in the polls are taking a toll on the New Jersey Democratic politician.
El senador Bob Menéndez (Cordon Press)
According to the New York Post, Senator Bob Menéndez will not seek re-election in the November general elections, citing sources close to the congressman.
However, the senator is unwilling to give up his seat in the Upper House, at least for the moment.
Menendez, who faces an 18-count indictment by the Justice Department in a bribery case, also faces tough competition in the Democratic Senate primary in New Jersey.
Overall, the Democratic senator's poll performance is quite weak. Progressive New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim and the state's first lady, Tammy Murphy, outperformed him by a wide margin.
According to a February poll by Farleigh Dickinson University, Andy Kim is the favorite among New Jersey Democrats to win the Senate primary, with 32% of voting intentions.
He is followed by Murphy, who comes in second with 20% of the vote.
Meanwhile, the embattled Menéndez barely has the support of 9% of voters.
The Democratic legislator, a long-time politician who chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is accused by the Department of Justice of having received bribes from New Jersey businessmen in exchange for political favors. He is also accused of having served as an unregistered agent of the government of Qatar and of having favored Egyptian businessmen.
Menendez and his wife Nadine Arslanian, also involved in the plot, were accused of lying to federal investigators and obstructing justice this week. These are new charges that are added to the alleged crimes related to bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car.
The new charges appear to be related to businessman José Uribe, one of the co-defendants who pleaded guilty to seven counts of corruption and agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors in the investigation into Menendez and Arslanian's marriage.
When the first indictment was filed in October last year, both Menendez and Arslanian pleaded not guilty. They are scheduled to stand trial in Manhattan in May.
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