Kos reporting that Corzine will select Rep. Menendez as his successor

[WI_DEM]

in the Senate. It is a shame he couldn't have convinced Acting Gov. Cordey who has a very high statewide rating. I'm not an expert on NJ politics but I've heard that Menendez might have some ethical problems?

I hope Corzine knows what he is doing.

www.dailykos.com

[henslee]

1. Wut, no Bruce??

[WI_DEM]

2. No

too bad.

[Zynx]

3. If Menendez does have ethical problems then that seat is in even worse

jeopardy than before.

[davepc]

6. His seat is not in any jeopardy. Hudson County is the bluest in New Jersey

And every Democrat who's part of the Democratic machine (which is to say most of them) are labeled as having ethics problems weather true or not.

[Zynx]

7. I mean the Senate seat.

That's much more important.

[liberalpragmatist]

10. Fomr what I've read...

... he's very closely tied to the machine politics of the area.

My guess is he was appointed as a political favor. But it might be a pretty stupid move. There's enough disgust right now both around the country and especially in NJ at both the state and federal level about corruption. NJ is especially bad. Corzine had to overcome lots of allegations that in buying his way to the nomination he would be beholden to various machine-leaders. This is going to do nothing to dissuade those views. And the Republicans have a reasonably strong-candidate for the seat in Tom Kean, Jr. Meaning this is going to be a pretty tough race to hold.

[LisaM]

4. Why on earth would he choose someone with ethical problems?

That does not make sense. Of all the times NOT to associate yourself with the ethically-challenged.

[rusty charly]

5. "Rep. Robert Menendez has been campaigning...

... the longest for the post; in fact, he's been talking about running longer than Corzine has been in the Senate. He's raised a ton of money and has the backing of national Hispanic groups."


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5036329

[understandinglife]

8. So is the New York Times -- done deal:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/07/politics/07cnd-senate.html?hp&ex=1134018000&en=c8d120d512135485&ei=5094&partner=homepage


Peace.

[yankeedem]

9. He is my rep

Pretty good guy, except for voting for the bankruptcy bill, which is stupid since my district is lower middle class.

[Judi Lynn]

11. Here he is, standing behind Republican Rep. Dan Burton

who is with the visible Republican right-wing extremist Cuban "exile" Representatives Lincoln Diaz-Balart, left, Mario Diaz-Balart, right, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.



Here he is, without his fellow Cuban "exile" Congresscritters and the slimey Dan Burton.

[KittyWampus]

12. Oh, I've seen him speak several times. Low key kinda guy, IIRC.

Not terribly inspiring... but hard to imagine him being really "ethically challenged". He comes across as being as honest & decent as the day is long.