December 12, 2007 - 7:46am
News

Hello, neighbor

Vilified by the local press, which in New York includes television, Governor Eliot Spitzer has a 48%-37% job approval rating, according to a poll released this morning by Quinnipiac University.  These are Spitzer's worst numbers since taking office eleven months ago, but they are still slightly better than his neighbor, Governor Jon Corzine.  A Quinnipiac poll this week had Corzine's approvals at 44%-43%.

As a point of comparison, Corzine’s Quinnipiac numbers after his first eleven months in office (December 2006) was 49%-32% -- just a little better than Spitzer.

New York voters give their United States Senators higher marks than New Jerseyans give Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez.  Hillary Clinton enjoys a 64%-29% approval rating, and Charles Schumer has an approval rating of 59%-22%.  Lautenberg is at 42%-33%, and Menendez is split at 34%-34%. 

All six politicians are Democrats.

As a point of comparison, Republicans have won U.S. Senate races in New York four times since New Jersey last sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate.  And Republicans have won two races for Governor of New York since the last time any Republican has carried New Jersey.

Wally Edge can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.