54 percent of New Jersey voters approve of Christie's performance, while 36 percent disapprove according to a poll released today
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, shown with Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, has seen his approval rating increase dramatically. TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie's approval rating has increased dramatically since he signed the pension and health benefit overhaul for public workers and publicly led the state through Hurricane Irene.
A Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll released this morning shows 54 percent of New Jersey voters approve of Christie's performance, while 36 percent disapprove. That's up from a 44 percent even split in May.
The number is the highest approval rating Christie has gotten in a Fairleigh Dickinson poll, although his disapproval ratings were lower early in his term, when many many voters had not formed an opinion.
"The spring budget battles at every level - municipal, county, and state - hurt the governor," said poll director Peter Woolley. "But he got a big win on pension and benefits reform in June, and weathered Hurricane Irene in August."
Eighteen percent of voters rated Christie's job performance excellent, 28 percent good, 29 percent "only fair" and 24 percent poor.
The favorable poll numbers come just as speculation that Christie will run for president reaches a fever pitch, despite his repeated denials that he's interested. The governor has a speech scheduled tonight at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
But Christie's strong approvals aren't likely to translate into Republicans winning control of the state Legislature, the poll found. With state legislative elections in November, 46 percent of voters said they'd prefer they remain under Democratic control, while 34 percent would prefer it shift to Republicans. While all 120 seats are up, there are only a few districts where either party can win. Democrats also went a long way towards ensuring they retain control when they prevailed in redrawing the legislative district map.
"Those good numbers for the governor do not make converts to his party in the legislative election," said Woolley
As potential Democratic gubernatorial candidates in 2013, Democrats and independents favor Newark Mayor Cory Booker (19 percent) and Essex County state Sen. Richard Codey (18 percent), a former governor. Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) and U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.) each get 5 percent. Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) trails the pack at 1 percent.
The poll of 800 registered voters was conducted between Sept. 19 and Sept. 25 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.