Gov. Chris Christie's job approval ratings are at their lowest point in New Jersey since he was elected, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll, which also gave him the lowest rating for any governor this year in the nine states where such surveys have been held.
"The governor’s job approval hits a new low and voters think his presidential ambitions are distracting him from his day job," said Quinnipiac University Poll Assistant Director Maurice Carroll in a press release about the poll. "Besides, they don't think he’d be a good president."
The 1,428 New Jersey voters surveyed between April 9-14 said they disapprove, 56 percent–38 percent, of the job Christie is doing. Further, they said by 65-29 percent that they do not believe he would make a good president, and said by 64-33 percent that he should not run for president at all.
And the pending presidential race is distracting Christie, who has not announced his campaign yet, voters by 55-38 percent majority said. They also think, by 70-27 percent, that Christie should resign from the governor's office if he does seek the GOP nomination.
But voters did agree, by 63–33 percent, that Christie is a strong leader, though he scored negative ratings on other character issues and on how he handles important matters:
- 41-52 percent that he is honest and trustworthy
- 41-56 percent that he cares about their needs and problems
- 34-57 percent on his handling of the economy and jobs
- 34-56 percent on his handling of education
- 32-59 percent on his handling of the state budget
Even though a majority of New Jersey voters did not think Christie would make a good president, he still leads other potential and declared candidates in his own state, netting 22 percent of the respondents. He was followed by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker with 14 percent, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush with 11 percent, and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky with 9 percent.
Hillary Clinton let the Democratic field by a wide margin, favored by 63 percent of the voters, followed by 12 percent for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and 10 percent for Vice President Joe Biden.
Further, Clinton leads Christie by 51-36 percent in his home state, the poll showed, and tops other Republicans by 20 percent or more:
- 54-34 percent over Paul
- 56-30 percent over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee
- 53-33 percent over Bush
- 54-34 percent over Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida
- 54-32 percent over Walker
- 58-30 percent over Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas
The voters also weighed in on the ongoing Bridgegate scandal, involving the closure of lanes of the George Washington Bridge reportedly as an act of political retribution against the Fort Lee mayor.
Christie was
cleared last year of wrongdoing in connection with the scandal, but his state's voters said by 53-38 percent that he was aware of the lane closures, but said by 57-32 percent that he did not order them himself.
But 34 percent of the voters said Christie should be removed from office if he is eventually proved to have ordered the traffic jam or if he knew that his aides were doing it. And 29 percent said he should removed and prosecuted if that happens. Another 29 percent of the voters said an apology would suffice.
The overall poll came with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, and included 444 Republicans with a margin of error of 4.7 points, and 539 Democrats with a 4.2-point margin of error.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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