Election 2009: New Jersey Governor

New Jersey Governor: Christie 42%, Corzine 40%

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Former U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie, the latest Republican to enter the New Jersey gubernatorial race, has a slight lead over Democratic incumbent Jon S. Corzine in a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state.

Christie leads Corzine 42% to 40%, essentially a toss-up given the poll’s margin of sampling error. Five percent (5%) support some other candidate, and 13% are undecided.

Forty-four percent (44%) approve of the way that Corzine has performed as Governor while 54% disapprove. Those figures include 12% who Strongly Approve and 32% who Strongly Disapprove. The governor is seeking a second four-year term in the elections this November.

Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Republicans back Christie versus Corzine, who has the support of 66% of New Jersey Democrats. A plurality of unaffiliated voters prefer Christie, but 25% remain undecided.

Christie, the top federal prosecutor in the state for seven years, won convictions or guilty pleas from more than 130 elected or appointed government officials without a single acquittal, according to the New York Times. He entered the gubernatorial race last week, joining already announced GOP candidates Richard Merkt, an assemblyman from Morris, and former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.

Dealing with the state’s financial problems has forced Corzine to make several unpopular decisions, including raising taxes and briefly shutting down state government in a budget dispute. He also led the way to the abolition of the death penalty in the state. The current economic situation is expected to produce another bruising year of decisions on raising taxes versus cutting government services.

In October, just 25% of New Jersey voters said Corzine was doing a good or excellent job, while 37% rated his performance as poor.

Historically, however, New Jersey often shows Republicans competitive with Democrats until the fall when the latter pull away decisively. A Republican has not won a statewide election in the Garden State since 1997. The Democratic tilt to the state is highlighted by the fact that 76% of New Jersey voters approve of the way that Barack Obama has handled the role of President-elect.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of New Jersey voters say the economy should be the top priority of state lawmakers this year, followed by 35% who say reducing corruption should be number one. Five percent (5%) think reducing crime is most important.

Just 15% think the state should raise taxes to reduce its budget deficit. Sixty-one percent (61%) say cutting services is the way to go, and 24% are not sure.

Fifty percent (50%) also say a tax on non-diet sodas will not make them drink less, but 26% say it will and 24% are unsure.

Only 23% think New Jersey and New York will get more federal aid with Barack Obama, the presidential candidate they supported, in the White House and bigger Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate. Forty-five percent (45%) say the two states will not get more federal monies, and 32% aren’t sure.

Fifty-four percent (54%) say New Jersey should legalize marijuana for medicinal use, but 32% disagree.

In the current economic climate, 44% say they are at least somewhat likely to move out of the state, with 23% saying that is Very Likely. But nearly as many (22%) say they are not at all likely to move out of the Garden State.

Eighteen percent (18%) of New Jersey voters have a Very Favorable opinion of Christie while 7% hold a Very Unfavorable opinion.

Corzine is better known, but that’s not necessarily an advantage at the moment--12% of Garden State voters have a Very Favorable opinion of him while 28% have a Very Unfavorable opinion.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... y_governor