Robert Menendez
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Robert Menendez (born January 1, 1954) is a Democratic politician from New Jersey. Since 2006, he has been the state's junior Senator, appointed by Jon Corzine to fill the seat made vacant by Corzine's resignation from the Senate to serve as Governor of New Jersey. Before his appointment to the Senate, he represented the state's 13th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1993-2006. He currently resides in Union City.
Personal Life
Menendez was born in New York City to Cuban parents. He grew up in Union City, New Jersey, just outside Jersey City.In 1973, at age 19, while attending Saint Peter's College in Jersey City, he launched a successful petition drive against his mentor, then-Union City Mayor William Musto, to reform the local school board. He was elected to the Union City Board of Education in 1974, and would later testify against Musto in a court case that resulted in a prison sentence for Musto. After graduating with a B.A. from Saint Peter's, he attended Rutgers School of Law in Newark, from which he obained his law degree, and later became a lawyer in private practice.
Menendez was elected mayor of Union City in 1986 and served as mayor until 1992. While mayor, he also served in New Jersey Legislature, a common practice for New Jersey mayors but something not allowed in most U.S. states. He was in the General Assembly from 1987 until 1991 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1991 to 1993.
United States House of Representatives
In 1992, 14th District Congressman Frank Guarini retired after seven terms. Menendez won the Democratic nomination for the Jersey City-based district, which was renumbered the 13th after New Jersey lost a district in the 1990 Census, and was easily elected that November. He was reelected to the House six times with no significant Republican opposition in his heavily Democratic, majority-Hispanic district.
In 1996, Menendez was briefly a candidate in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat held by the retiring Bill Bradley, but he backed out and the seat was won by Democrat Robert Torricelli.
In 2003, Menendez was elected chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, ranking him third in the Democrratic hierarchy in the house, behind House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. He was elected to chair the Credentials Committee of the 2004 Democratic National Convention and was a speaker on the first day of the convention. During the 107th Congress, he was chair of the Democratic Task Force on Education and the Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security.
Although he is often portrayed as the political boss of Hudson County, he strongly dislikes this appellation, particularly because, according to a close source quoted in the December 11, 2005 Union City Reporter, "there is no boss of Hudson County." [link] Menendez is also seen as one leader in a fractured political establishment tenuously united by peace agreements that permitted the county to generate a significant vote for Corzine in the 2005 gubernatorial race.[[Citing sources citation needed]]
Menendez received a "B" on the Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues. [link]
United States Senate
While several other names had been mentioned, Menendez was the early favorite among pundits for Governor-elect Corzine's replacement to fill the vacancy that would be created when Corzine resigned from the Senate. Corzine's decision to appoint Menendez got the support from several Latino groups, including the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.Menendez was a controversial choice for the post due to alleged ties to the Hudson County Democratic machine.[[Citing sources citation needed]] The New York Times editorialized against him.["New Jersey's New Senator"], The New York Times, December 9, 2005 after his appointment to the US Senate saying:
- "Mr. Menendez has become a proponent of business as usual. He has long been an entrenched de facto leader of the Hudson County Democratic machine. Most recently, Mr. Menendez has failed to answer questions about his relationship with Kay LiCausi, a young former aide of his. He has helped her get hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbying contracts and political consulting work."
In February of 2006, Menendez co-sponsored legislation with New York Senator Hillary Clinton to make it illegal for foreign governments to buy U.S. port operations. The legislation was a direct response to Dubai Ports World's efforts to purchase Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) of the United Kingdom, which operates six major U. S. ports. Menendez said, "Our ports are the front lines of the war on terrorism. They are both vulnerable targets for attack and venues for smuggling and human trafficking. We wouldn't turn the Border Patrol or the Customs Service over to a foreign government, and we can't afford to turn our ports over to one either."[Menendez, Clinton seek to stop UAE port deal], The Record (Bergen County), February 18, 2006
2006 Senate race
Menendez is running to retain his seat in the Senate. In the general election in November 2006, he will face Republican Thomas Kean, Jr., who has been a State Senator for three years, and who is the son of a former state governor Thomas Kean.
The most recent Quinnipiac poll had Kean leading Menendez 40% to 38%, with independant voters beginning to move towards Kean. [link]
The most recent Zogby/Wall Street Journal poll had Menendez as the most vunerable Democratic incumbent in the country, leading Kean 41%-40%. [link]
The most recent Rasmussen Reports poll had Menendez with a more comfortable lead 46%-40% over Kean. [link]
Quotes
- Responding to the issue of the New Jersey state budget crisis and the increases in taxes at the June 26, 2006 New Jersey Network debate, Menendez brushed off the issue, claiming that it wasn't his problem or an issue that should be addressed. "I don't like the sales tax, I don't like the cuts to education, but I'm not running for the state Senate. Maybe Tom wants to run for re-election, I wish him well" Menendez said.
- Responding to statements by Thomas Kean Jr. that New Jersey must set its sights higher, "I wondered what he meant by that. Now that I see he invited Vice President Cheney to speak on his behalf, I understand."[Menendez declines a debate with Kean], The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 25, 2006
Trivia
- Menendez shares a birthday with Governor Jon Corzine.
- Menendez and Corzine are both divorced.
References
External links
- [Senate website]
- [Campaign website]
- [New Jersey's New Senator]
- [Bob Menendez's Political Background]
- [record maintained by the Washington Post]
- ["Menendez on the Move"] by Al Sullivan, Union City Reporter, December 11, 2005.
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| New Jersey Congressional Delegation currently serving in the United States Congress | |
|---|---|
| Senators : | Frank Lautenberg (D), Robert Menendez (D) |
| Representative(s) : | Dist 1: Robert E. Andrews (D), Dist 2: Frank A. LoBiondo (R), Dist 3: H. James Saxton (R), Dist 4: Christopher H. Smith (R), Dist 5: Scott Garrett (R), Dist 6: Frank Pallone Jr. (D), Dist 7: Michael Ferguson (R), Dist 8: William J. Pascrell Jr. (D), Dist 9: Steven R. Rothman (D), Dist 10: Donald M. Payne (D), Dist 11: Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R), Dist 12: Rush D. Holt Jr. (D), Dist 13: vacant |
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