Kean, Menendez continue attacks as N.J. Senate race heats up

By REBECCA SANTANA
The Associated Press

PLEASANTVILLE, N.J. - Republican Senate candidate Tom Kean Jr. hammered away at his familiar campaign themes of the economy, immigration and corruption Friday while his Democratic opponent, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, said the campaign ads run against him are slanderous.

Speaking to a lunchtime crowd at Gary's Restaurant, Kean tried to shore up support in the traditionally Republican, suburban area outside of Atlantic City, pursuing a theme that has been a cornerstone of his campaign: integrity and what he says is Menendez's lack of it.

"We can no longer afford Bob Menendez in the United States Senate on behalf of the people of the state of New Jersey," said Kean, a state senator.

Comments such as those have infuriated Menendez, who said in an appearance in Lawrence that his reputation has been so sullied by a series of Kean attack ads that he may take some type of action about it after the Nov. 7 election.

The ads have said Menendez is under federal criminal investigation for his connection to a nonprofit agency that rented a building from him and for which he helped obtain federal funds. The senator has denied he is under investigation, and maintained the rental agreement was approved by the House ethics committee.

While Menendez called the ads slanderous, he declined to specify the type of action he was considering or against whom. Asked repeatedly to clarify the remark he made to students at Rider University, Menendez said only, "We'll take care of it after the election."

Jill Hazelbaker, a spokeswoman for Kean, said Menendez was "desperate" and "acting silly."

Menendez talked at length about his opposition to the war in Iraq during his 25-minute speech at Rider. He also highlighted his support for stem cell research, education assistance and increasing the minimum wage.

Kean's repeated attacks on Menendez seemed to hit home with some diners in Pleasantville.

Al Garrell, 64, of Absecon, said the economy and issues of integrity and corruption were some of the reasons he planned to vote for Kean, the son of the popular governor of the same name.


"We've got to get a hold of the state's economy, and we've got to have people in Washington who make sure the corruption is out and the honesty is in," said Garrell, who was wearing a sticker showing his support for Kean.

In a race that has grown increasingly tense and nasty, the outcome may depend on how voters feel about two people who aren't running: President Bush and former Gov. Thomas H. Kean, according to a new poll.

Results of The New York Times/CBS News poll published in Friday's newspapers suggest that Kean has benefited from his father's reputation, and Menendez has profited from voter discontent with the president.

The poll shows the two are just about even, with Menendez leading 38 percent to 36 percent among registered voters. The telephone poll, conducted between Oct. 20 and Oct. 25, included 1,023 adults, 849 of whom were registered to vote.

The poll had a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

In general, the voters polled who support Menendez said the president and control of Congress play an important role in their decision: Fifty-eight percent described their vote as being against President Bush; 90 percent of those favoring the senator said they disapprove of the job the president is doing. Some 67 percent of those favoring Kean said they approve of the way Bush is handling his job.

When it comes to Kean, voters seemed swayed by his family history: 33 percent said the first thing that came to mind when asked about Kean was his father. No other category gained more than 10 percentage points.

But the poll also showed that, with less than two weeks to go until the November election, many people are still undecided. Thirty-nine percent said they could change their minds before Nov. 7.

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Associated Press Writer Angela Delli Santi in Lawrence contributed to this report.
October 27, 2006 4:25 PM

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