Obviously, it’s very early, but these are some interesting numbers for Sen. Bob Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey:

With one more national election behind him, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez now faces one ahead — his own. And according to the most recent statewide poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind™, 31% of his New Jersey constituency have a favorable opinion of him and 25% have an unfavorable opinion. Another 44% either are unsure (29%) or haven’t heard of him at all (15%).
“Those are fairly anemic numbers for an energetic guy who has already served five years,” said Peter Woolley, a political scientist and director of the poll.Menendez, a Democrat, was appointed to the seat in January 2006 by then-Gov. Jon Corzine and was elected in Nov. 2006. His seat is up for election in 2012.
Among Democrats, 17% say they don’t recognize Menendez’s name, 26% say they are unsure or have no opinion of him, 10% have an unfavorable opinion, but 47% say their opinion is favorable.

With the election and continued popularity of blunt-speaking, spending-cutting Republican governor Chris Christie, it’s possible Menendez will find himself running for reelection in a state where the political environment is extremely different than it was in 2006.