Poll Shows Corzine Gains Ground in N.J. Gov. Race
Corzine now trails Christie 51-42 percent, if the election was between the two candidates, compared to a July 14 survey that had Christie leading 53-41 percent
When independent candidate Christopher Daggett, who is also included on the ballot, is included in the poll, he pulls a significant amount of support from Christie's backers -- dropping Christie's lead to 46 percent against Corzine's 40 percent and Daggett's 7 percent.
Corruption connotations continue to dog the New Jersey Democratic Party, the poll shows, with half of likely voters associating the governor's party with corruption more so than the Republican Party. Nearly all – 93 percent – of New Jersey voters say that government corruption is "somewhat serious" or "very serious" and 65 percent are embarrassed by the recent string of corruption arrests. Sixty-six percent of voters are at least somewhat dissatisfied with "the way things are going in New Jersey."
"Is corruption a big problem? Wow, is it! Almost everyone in New Jersey thinks so. And two thirds feel personally embarrassed to live in a state where politicians are pictured in handcuffs," Quinnipiac University Polling Institute director Maurice Carroll said. "More than half associate corruption with the Democratic party. Almost a third say both parties share the blame. Republicans pretty much get a pass."
Republicans are not only less connected with corruption but also more likely to clean up corruption. Voters favor Christie 47 to 41 percent in the fight against corruption.
Corzine, who has a 58 percent disapproval rating, still has one thing over Christie: his likeability. Forty-two percent of New Jersey voters say that they'd rather spend a day at the beach with Corzine, compared to 36 percent who said the same about Christie. The poll also shows that forty-six percent of women would rather take a stroll with Corzine. Thirty-one percent would rather take a stroll with Christie.
While Christie has a 42 percent favorability rating compared to Corzine's 37 percent, only 9 percent of Democrats would vote for him.
In other news about the race, the Republican Governors Association launched two ads Tuesday against Corzine seeking to gain more Democratic voters, The Hill reports. One ad, aimed at Hispanic voters, says Corzine has raised taxes and caused unemployment to rise. The other attacks Corzine on environmental issues, saying that the environmental organization Sierra Club has given him unfavorable grades.
Editor's Note: This post was corrected on Aug. 12, 2009, to correct the spelling of independent candidate Christopher Daggett's name and to note that he is already on the ballot in the race.