TRENTON - New Jersey voters support same-sex marriage 53 – 42 percent, a new Quinnipiac University poll shows.

Voters also support 67 – 27 percent Gov. Christopher Christie’s call for a voter referendum on the issue, according to the poll released today. 

Governor Christie is not the only Jersey guy with political star power.

According to the most recent poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind™, Mayor Cory Booker of Newark has numbers to envy. Even if 33% of Garden State voters haven’t heard of Booker, 47% have a favorable view of him (including 28% “very” favorable”) and just 6% say their view is unfavorable, a stellar 8-to-1 ratio in Booker’s favor.

“For mayor of anywhere, that’s great,” said Peter Woolley, director of the poll. “For mayor of a city in New Jersey, that’s fabulous.”

Union County Freeholder and Linden Democratic Municipal Chairman Chris Hudak today endorsed Newark West Ward Councilman Ron C. Rice for Congress in the 10th District.

Hudak made the endorsement just days after hosting a candidates' forum for the CD 10 contestants. Newark Council President Donald Payne, Jr., was a no-show. Today, Mayor Richard Gerbounka, an independent who regularly wars with the local Democratic Committee, endorsed Payne only to have Hudak try to muddy the matter.

Or Gerbounka muddied Hudak's endorsement, depending on the party in question.

In addition to the freeholder, a majority of the Linden City Council put their imprimatur on Rice's candidacy. 1st Ward Councilman Chris Kolibas; 2nd Ward Councilman Rich Koziol, 3rd Ward Councilman Peter Brown, 5th Ward Councilwoman Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling, 6th Ward Councilman Bob Sadowski and 8th Ward Councilwoman Michele Yamakaitis all declared their support for Rice.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) comfortably leads his Republican opponent, state Sen. Joe Kyrillos (R-13), in a head-to-head matchup up by nine percentage points, according to this morning's poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind.

Although a quarter of New Jerseyans (24%) say they’re undecided, four-in-ten (42%) say they’d support Menendez if the election were held today, while a third (33%) would vote for Kyrillos.

However, support for Menendez does not run deep. The poll also asked New Jerseyans if they’d support Menendez or “someone else,” and among these voters support for the senator drops off considerably to 30% from 42%, and the hypothetical “someone else” wins, garnering 37% for him or herself.