A new Quinnipiac University poll finds the Menendez-Kean New Jersey race for Governor Corzine's U.S. Senate seat remains a close race.
The new Democratic Senator Robert Menendez leads State Senator Tom Kean, Jr. 40 - 36 percent, with 19 percent undecided. In January, Quinnipiac found Menendez led 38 - 36 percent.
In this latest survey, Republicans back Kean 76 - 8 percent, while Democrats back Menendez 76 - 6 percent. Independent voters are split with 37 percent for Kean and 34 percent for Menendez.
Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute attributes the Menendez lead to party registration:
Sen. Menendez holds a narrow lead in this race only because there are more Democrats than Republicans in New Jersey. Significantly, Kean holds a small edge among Independent voters who often swing the balance in New Jersey elections
Quinnipiac reported Republicans back Kean 76 - 8 percent, Democrats back Menendez 76 - 6 percent and Independent voters split 37 percent for Kean and 34 percent for Menendez.
The poll was conducted March 8 - 14, 2006 and has a margin of error of +/- 4.8 percentage points.
This is going to be an important race in the battle for control of the Senate. The Republicans are taking it seriously with Vice President Cheney headlining a fund-raiser today for Kean today.
The campaign apparently doesn't think the $200,000 to be raised by the Vice President is enough.
Kean has a fundraiser on Tuesday with Kentucky's Republican Senator Mitch McConnell and another one on Thursday with former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
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