NEW YORK, NY December 08, 2005 —Governor elect Jon Corzine is expected to tap Hudson County Congressman Robert Menendez to fill out the year remaining on his U.S. Senate term. WNYC's Robert Hennelly has more.

The 51-year-old Menendez was first elected to the House in 1992. He won his first elective office at 2O when he won a seat on the Union City School Board and went on to serve as a mayor and in both the state assembly and state senate. Early in his career he worked for Union City Mayor William Musto but felt compelled to testify against the Hudson County power broker who was ultimately convicted on corruption charges.

Menendez, a Cuban-American, has been an ardent anti-Castro opponent, but is also considered one of the most pro-labor members of the House and a staunch critic of the Bush White House. Menedez, who has risen to the top ranks of his party's leadership in Congress will be the first Latino to hold a statewide office in Garden State History.

For WNYC I am Bob Hennelly.