Monmouth

Voters likely to participate in the 2009 election for Governor of New Jersey have virtually no idea who is running for Lt. Governor, according to a Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll.  State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck), Gov. Jon Corzine's running mate, has upside-down statewide favorable of 9%-11%, with, 80% of likely voters not knowing who she is.  Christopher Christie's running mate, Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno, has favorable of 8%-4%, and 89% of voters are unfamiliar with her.

Frank Esposito, the former Kean University professor and acting president who is running for Lt. Governor on a ticket with Independent Christopher Daggett, has statewide favorable of 6%-3%; 91% of likely voters don't recognize his name.

Among undecided likely voters, Weinberg's favorable are 4%-3%, with 92% having no opinion; Guadagno is at 3%-2%, with 95% don't recognize her.

Former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie has an eight point lead over Gov. Jon Corzine in a new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll

Republican Christopher Christie continues to lead Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in independent polls.  A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll released today shows Christie leading Corzine by eight percentage points among likely voters, 47%-39% with 5% for Independent Christopher Daggett.

Christie led by ten points in a Quinnipiac University poll released last week, and had an eight point lead in a Rasmussen Reports poll released on Thursday.

 "A Republican holding a steady poll lead is unprecedented in recent New Jersey elections and this shouldn't be discounted.  But the results also indicate there is a lot of churning in this electorate," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.  "Despite the incumbent's continued unpopularity, there is still a sense that anything can happen."

Corzine's job approvals are upside-down, at 37%-52%.  He has upside-down favorable of 39%-45%.  Christie had favorable of 41%-29%.

More than half (55%) of likely voters view the 2009 gubernatorial campaign has negative.

"Negative campaigning in New Jersey is nothing new, but past polling tells us that voters usually don't notice that negative tone until October.  Getting the electorate to register its disapproval of the campaign's conduct immediately after Labor Day is truly an accomplishment," said Murray.

Among independent likely voters, Christie is running fifteen points ahead of Corzine, 45%-30%.  Christie leads among Republicans 82%-8%, while Corzine leads among Democrats 77%-8% -- a 10-point improvement since the summer.  Corzine has increased his support among Black and Hispanic voters.

Frankly, I’ve been upset with the Star-Ledger.  They have gotten very lazy.  They’re reprinting stories from two years ago, three years, five years.  I’ve seen the headlines before: "Hudson County politicians arrested on bribery charges." "Monmouth County Mayors Indicted."

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. 

Patrick Murray, the Director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, has an interesting post on summer polling in U.S. Senate races that is a must read for campaign watchers.

Incumbent Republican Freeholder Robert Clifton's partner in fundraising committee will be sentenced on felony charges Tuesday. Clifton and his partner used the fundraising committee to take money those tied to “Operation Bid Rig.” Their contributors included principals in a company that laundered $350,000 in cash.

Kim Guadagno, a Monmouth Beach Commissioner and former federal prosecutor, will remain a candidate for the GOP State Assembly nomination in the eleventh district and not enter the race for Monmouth County Sheriff.  Guadagno had been mentioned as a possible Sheriff candidate since Joseph Oxley unexpectedly announced his retirement earlier this month.