Gannett

Quinnipiac: Obama 48%, McCain 45%: Getty Images Photo
The contest between Barack Obama and John McCain in New Jersey is too close to call, with a new Quinnipiac University poll showing the battle for the state's fifteen electoral votes at 48%-45% among likely voters.  Obama led McCain by ten percentage points, 51%-41% in an August Quinnipiac poll.

This is the fourth independent poll within the last week to show New Jersey as an emerging battleground state in the presidential campaign.  A Monmouth University/New Jersey poll released this morning shows Obama leading by 8 points, and a Marist College poll released Friday night had identical numbers to Quinnipiac, 48%-45%. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll from last week had Obama up by six points.

“The McCain-Palin ticket has narrowed the gap dramatically, but it will take more than this post convention bounce for the Republicans to win in true blue New Jersey.  The upcoming debates probably will provide a clue to whether Sen. McCain can build on his current momentum, or whether the tide will turn back to the Democrats,” said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 

Barack Obama leads John McCain by 8 points in a new Monmouth University/Gannett poll
Barack Obama leads John McCain in New Jersey by eight percentage points, 49%-41%, according to a new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll released today.  

“McCain has made some gains in New Jersey, which should not really be a surprise to anyone who has followed election polling in this state,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.  “Republican candidates often see some positive movement in September polling, but have had problems maintaining that momentum.  Only once in the past ten years – the 2000 U.S. Senate race – has the Republican candidate continued to narrow the gap through election day.  We’ll have to wait and see if this is really a trend.”

Gov. Jon Corzine has an upside-down 39%-46% job approval rating, and voters give him a grade of C- on his report card, according to a new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll released today. 

Senate President Richard Codey, who served as Governor before Corzine, has a 45%-15% favorable rating – making him the most popular statewide politician in New Jersey.  U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, who is expected to challenge Corzine in 2009, has an approval rating of 29%-9%.  Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts is virtually unknown; he has an approval rating of 11%-9%.  The Legislature is also upside-down at 27%-45%.

On his report card, Corzine gets a D+ on property taxes, C- on cost cutting and ethics reform, a C on Education, a D on cost of living, and a C+ on his level of effort.

Murray Sabrin, who has anointed himself the “front runner” in the race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, issued a press release today announcing “Gannett endorses Sabrin for U.S. Senate.”  Sabrin doesn’t mean the Gannett that operates seven dailies in New Jersey – instead, he argues that the late Frank Gannett (1876-1957), who founded the newspaper chain, would have supported his candidacy.  Sabrin says there is a “striking similarity between Frank Gannett's political philosophy” and his campaign to Legalize Freedom.  Gannett sought the Republican nomination for President in 1940.

When it comes to BPU President Jeanne Fox’s reappointment, Gannett’s Bob Ingle and Gregory Volpe have been working overtime.

Based on recent coverage, it appears the Gannett chain is the only NJ newspaper paying close attention to the current storyline about Fox’s day-in-court-defense to a whistle blower complaint and the pending Senate review of her reappointment as Board President.

Just 10% of New Jersey voters say they are “satisfied” with Governor Jon Corzine’s state budget, another 34% say that are “not particularly satisfied but can live with it,” and 54% are “decidedly dissatisfied,” according to a Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll released this morning.

Governor Jon Corzine proposed a state budget last month that can only be described as tough medicine.  However, the latest Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll finds many New Jerseyans asking if the proposed cuts are, in fact, the right prescription.  They agree with some of the cuts, disagree with others, and generally question whether the budget really targets wasteful spending.

Gov. Jon Corzine has an upside-down 34%-55% approval rating and only 15% of New Jersey voters approve of his plan to raise tolls, according to a Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll released early this morning.

“The poll shows that the public acknowledges the scope of the problem.  They just differ with Corzine on the solution,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “We saw public opinion of the governor take an immediate hit after his State of the State address.  It continued to decline as he went on the road to sell his toll hike plan, and has dropped even further since he unveiled his budget,” said Murray.

It’s no surprise when shock jocks display poor behavior. The problem starts when their antics infect the newsroom.

At the recent 101.5-incited Statehouse rally protesting the Gov’s EZ Pass to getting the State out of debt, we saw both extremes.

It’s fair game when commentators want to use their airtime to grumble about government. It’s probably even OK if they want to stage a protest rally with their rabid listeners as a Greek chorus.

Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama in each independent poll released over the last four days – but in many with slim margins:

Quinnipiac 48%-43%
Norcross 44%-38%
McClatchy/MSNBC 46%-39%
Monmouth/Gannett 50%-34%
Reuters/CSpan/Zogby 43%-43%
Mason Dixon 46%-39%
SurveyUSA 51%-39%
Rasmussen 49%-37%