March 4, 2008 - 10:41am
News

Poll: Lautenberg ahead of GOP challengers, but lead over Pennacchio just 8 points

Democrat Frank Lautenberg leads State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio by only eight points, 46%-38%, in the race for U.S. Senate, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll of New Jersey voters released today.  The four-term incumbent leads businesswoman Anne Evans Estabrook 44%-34%, and Ramapo College professor Murray Sabrin 46%-31%.

“While the poll results are generally encouraging for Lautenberg, any incumbent who polls below 50% is considered potentially vulnerable,” said the pollster.

Half the voters (51%) have a favorable opinion of the 84-year-old Lautenberg, while 39% view him unfavorably.  The thee GOP candidates have less name identification: Pennacchio (35%-27%), Estabrook (32%-32%), and Sabrin, the 1997 Libertarian candidate for Governor, is upside-down at 29%-32%.

Against Estabrook, Lautenberg draws in votes from 48% of females and 40% of males. Estabrook earns support from 36% of males and 33% of females. Lautenberg leads Pennacchio by twenty-six points among female voters.

Lautenberg is ahead in all three match-ups when it comes to unaffiliated voters. He leads Estabrook 38% to 21%, Pennacchio 44% to 25% and Sabrin 37% to 22% among voters not affiliated with either major party.

Editor can be reached via email at editor@politicsnj.com.