Pollster: Ports deal flap benefits Menendez in Senate race

[Judi Lynn]

Pollster: Ports deal flap benefits Menendez in Senate race

March 9, 2006, 5:00 AM EST

TRENTON, N.J. -- Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez can thank the controversy swirling around a Bush administration plan to allow a Dubai-owned company to manage operations at six U.S. ports for his lead over his Republican Senate race opponent in a poll released Thursday.

Menendez, who has garnered much publicity with his opposition to the plan, holds a narrow lead over state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., 42 percent to 37 percent, in a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind Poll. That's a significant turnaround from FDU's previous Senate poll, released in mid-January, which had Kean with an 11-point lead over Menendez, 36 percent to 25 percent.

In the most recent poll, 21 percent said they were still undecided, compared to 37 percent undecided in the January poll.

Poll director Peter Woolley said Menendez has benefited from the ports controversy, which would affect Port Newark. Menendez has co-sponsored legislation with Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., that would bar a foreign-owned company to control U.S. ports operations. Menendez has gained much free publicity with numerous television news show appearances on the issue.
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http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--senatepoll0309mar09,0,6870056.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey

[WI_DEM]

1. Good

We need to hold this seat in November.

[Imalittleteapot]

2. Deal flap will also benefit

every Republican in the House.

[Demeter]

3. This May Actually, Finally, Be the Beginning of the End

I sure hope it is.

[AX10]

4. Menendez will win in the end anyways.

It's a blue state and he's a REAL DEMOCRAT. Bush has a 33% approval rating in the state.

[NYC]

5. Note they are still discussing SIX ports.

...controversy swirling around a Bush administration plan to allow a Dubai-owned company to manage operations at six U.S. ports...

There must be a reason for that. It may have to do with the article about front companies.