Obama, Lautenberg have huge leads in new Quinnipiac poll

New Jersey Democrats are looking at a top of the ticket landslide: a new Quinnipiac University poll shows Democrat Barack Obama with a 59%-36% lead over Republican John McCain, and Democratic U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg with a 22-point lead -- 55%-33% -- over Republican Dick Zimmer, a former Congressman.

A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll also released this morning shows similar numbers: Obama 55%, McCain 38%.

“The nation’s economic crisis has turned New Jersey dark blue, virtually assuring a Democratic sweep with Sen. Barack Obama carrying the state and Sen. Frank Lautenberg winning re-election,” said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.  “Barring a major development in world affairs, or in the fortunes of Sen. John McCain and former U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer, Nov. 4 is shaping up as a big night for New Jersey Democrats.”

Obama has a 65%-27% favorability rating, compared to a 47%-47% split for McCain.  Joe Biden, gets a 61%-22% favorability rating, while Sarah Palin, is upside-down at 33%-50%.

“The poll shows not only Democratic strength, but Republican weakness.  Only 30 percent say John McCain is the best candidate to handle the economy, and Sarah Palin’s favorability rating is in negative territory,” Richards added.

Lautenberg gets a 47%-25%t favorability while 63 percent of voters say they don’t know enough about Zimmer to form an opinion.

“You can’t win if the voters don’t know who you are – unless they really dislike your opponent.  In this case, voters like Lautenberg well enough while two-thirds know very little about Zimmer,” Richards said.