Quinnipiac

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Gov. Jon Corzine has an upside-down 43%-46% job approval rating

Gov. Jon Corzine continues to struggle with his fifth negative approval rating this year -- 43%-46% -- according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released today.  But those numbers are better than his 40%-51% approval rating in a September 17 Quinnipiac poll.  More than half of New Jersey voters (51%) say he doesn't deserve to be re-elected, while just 37% say he does.  

New Jerseyans, by a 54%-30% margin, don't want Corzine to be Barack Obama's Secretary of the Treasury.

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U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie is within six points of incumbent Jon Corzine in a Quinnipiac University poll of the 2009 race for Governor of New Jersey

Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine has a narrow six point lead over Republican Christopher Christie in the 2009 race for Governor of New Jersey, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released early this morning.  Corzine leads Christie, who will leave his post as U.S. Attorney on December 1, 42%-36%.

“The long coattails of Barack Obama have reached down into New Jersey and helped Gov. Jon Corzine's re-election prospects, at least for now,” said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. 

Quinnipiac University will release a new poll on Wednesday morning with Gov. Jon Corzine's job approval ratings and a head-to-head contest with U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie. In a September 17 survey, Corzine had an upside-down approval rating of 40%-51%, and was in a statistial dead heat with Christie, 42%-40%.

Marist College released a poll Friday evening that U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg has a narrow seven point, 48%-41%, lead among likely voters over Republican Dick Zimmer.  Among all voters, Lautenberg is ahead 47%-37%.  Recent independent polls has Lautenberg way out in front in his bid for a fifth term: he was up 22 points in a Quinnipiac poll, and ahead 16 points in a Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll.

The same poll has Barack Obama leading John McCain 56%-39% in New Jersey among likely voters (53%-36% among all voters).

Barack Obama and John McCain are tied 47%-47% in northwestern New Jersey, according to the new Quinnipiac University poll that looked at voters in Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties. In an October 19, 2004 Quinnipiac poll, George W. Bush led John Kerry in this same region by a 61%-28% margin. And in an October 12, 2006 Quinnipiac poll of the race for United States Senator, northwestern New Jersey voters favored Tom Kean, Jr. over Bob Menendez by a 66%-32% margin.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg and former U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer, the Republican, are in a statistical dead heat in these five Republican counties, with Lautenberg leading 47%-45.

An economic stimulus package offered by Gov. Jon Corzine received mixed reviews from New Jersey voters in a Quinnipiac University poll released today, with voters split 44% in support and 42% in opposition to a plan that would invest $250 million from state pension funds in community banks to encourage small business loans. But voters support (55%-31%) Corzine's proposal to use $45 million from the State Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency to help homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Frank Lautenberg has a 22-point lead in his bid for re-election to a fifth term in the U.S. Senate: Getty Images Photo
New Jersey Democrats are looking at a top of the ticket landslide: a new Quinnipiac University poll shows Democrat Barack Obama with a 59%-36% lead over Republican John McCain, and Democratic U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg with a 22-point lead -- 55%-33% -- over Republican Dick Zimmer, a former Congressman.

A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll also released this morning shows similar numbers: Obama 55%, McCain 38%.

“The nation’s economic crisis has turned New Jersey dark blue, virtually assuring a Democratic sweep with Sen. Barack Obama carrying the state and Sen. Frank Lautenberg winning re-election,” said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.  “Barring a major development in world affairs, or in the fortunes of Sen. John McCain and former U.S. Rep. Dick Zimmer, Nov. 4 is shaping up as a big night for New Jersey Democrats.”

For New Jerseyans who follow the race for Mayor of New York City more closely than they do the contest for Salem County Freeholder: a new Quinnipiac University poll released this morning shows that NYC voters, by a 54%-42% margin, support extending the eight-year term limit to twelve years so Michael Bloomberg can serve as third term as mayor.  Bloomberg, who says he wants to run again in 2009 even though city law does not currently allow it, has a 75%-19% job approval rating.  Nearly two-thirds of the voters (65%) say they still support the basic concept of term limits -- especially for City Councilmembers -- but they still want Bloomberg to remain in office.  In a head-to-head matchup with six other potential candidates, Bloomberg is at 51%; none of the others break out of single digits.

“Will it be a coronation? Bloomberg’s support is more than 50 percent. The others?  Way down in single digits.  His job approval is still up in the stratosphere, where it’s been for three years,” said Maurice Carroll, the Quinnipiac poll director.

Two independent polls released today on the race for United States Senator offer conflicting data on the question of Frank Lautenberg's ability, at age 84, to serve another six-year term: more than half the voters polled by Quinnipiac University say yes, while less more than two-thirds of Monmouth University/Gannett poll voters disagree.  Both polls have Lautenberg leading Republican Dick Zimmer by about the same margin.  Patrick Murray, who runs the Monmouth/Gannett poll, offers an explanation in his blog, which is worth the read.

New Jersey voters are beginning to like U.S. Senator Robert Menendez a bit more: a new Quinnipiac University poll has the junior Senator's approvals at 35%-31% -- an improvement from his upside-down 33%-34% last month.  Menendez is not up for re-election until 2012.