Gannett New Jersey

A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll says voters aren't entirely familiar with Jon Corzine's service as head of one of Wall Street's largest and most successful investment banking firms.  Just 55% know Corzine has Wall Street experience (33% specifically mention Goldman Sachs or say he headed a firm), 22% say they're aware he worked on Wall Street but are unaware of any specifics, and 18% said the Governor had no Wall Street experience.   More than one-quarter of the state's voters (27%) say they don't know if he did or didn't.

A new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll shows Barack Obama is most popular than Hillary Clinton in New Jersey, even though Clinton beat Obama by ten percentage points in the state’s February 5 Democratic primary. Obama has a 58%-27% favorable rating, while Clinton is at 46%-43%. And by a 45%-38% margin, more New Jersey and Democrat-leaning independents say that would rather see Obama capture the Democratic presidential nomination.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez has a 41%-31% approval rating, while Gov. Jon Corzine is upside-down at 34%-52%.  Among Democrats, Menendez is at 51%-19%, while Corzine is at 45%-40%.  U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s approval rating is 48%-31%, and 51%-19% among Democrats.

If Frank Lautenberg wins re-election, he'll be 90 when his next term is over: Getty Images Photo
Sen. Frank Lautenberg leads Rep. Ron Andrews by a 35%-20% margin in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, with Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello at 8%, according to a new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll released today.  Lautenberg has 59%-19% approval rating among New Jersey Democrats, and a 48%-31% statewide approval.  Andrews has a 13%-15% approval rating among Democratic voters and just 44% of Democrats recognize his name.  But 61% of voters – and 56% of Democrats -- say its time for a new person in the Senate, and just 26% say the 84-year-old Lautenberg should be re-elected. 

Voters are split on whether Lautenberg is getting too old to be an effective Senator: 41% say he is, but 46% say he’s not.