New Jersey (NJ) Poll * August 19, 2010 * New Jersey's Christie Is More - Quinnipiac University

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August 19, 2010 - New Jersey's Christie Is More Leader Than Bully, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Gov's Approval Is Up While Obama's Score Is Down

Word format New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie is winning the hearts and minds of New Jersey voters who approve 51 - 36 percent of the job he is doing and say 51 - 39 percent that the Governor is more a "leader" than a "bully," according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. But voters also say 46 - 43 percent that he is "confrontational" rather than "honest and refreshing."
That's an improvement on all three measures over a June 17 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University when voters split 44 - 43 percent in their job approval and 44 - 43 percent over whether he was a "leader" or a "bully." Voters in June said 52 - 38 percent that Gov. Christie was "confrontational" rather than "honest and refreshing."
In today's survey, Christie gets a 75 - 13 percent thumbs up from Republicans and a 61 - 29 percent approval from independent voters. Democrats disapprove 63 - 24 percent.
The Governor's approval rating is higher than for other players in Trenton:
Voters disapprove 28 - 17 percent of the way the State Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney is doing his job, with 55 percent undecided; Voters split 19 - 19 percent in their approval of Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, with 63 percent undecided; Voters disapprove 45 - 28 percent of the State Assembly; Voters disapprove 46 - 30 percent of the State Senate.
"New Jerseyans are getting used to their new Governor, Christopher Christie, as his job approval breaks the 50 percent mark. But familiarity hasn't helped him much with Democrats," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "A lot of voters still think Christie is a bully, but the victories he chalked up in the legislature earn him good marks for leadership."
"They are formidable in Trenton, but voters don't know much about Sen. Stephen Sweeney or Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver," Carroll added. "Overall, we don't think much of the legislature."
Most New Jersey voters give Christie passing grades after six months in office:
15 percent give him an A; 32 percent give him a B; 20 percent give him a C; 16 percent give him a D; 14 percent give him an F.
A total of 66 percent of New Jersey voters are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with the way things are going in the Garden State, an improvement on the 75 percent all-time high dissatisfaction rate June 17.
"A solid 'B' student-that's our Governor's mark after six months in command," Carroll said.
President Obama's Approval
President Barack Obama's approval rating has dropped to an all-time low in New Jersey, a split 47 - 47 percent, down from a 50 - 46 percent approval rating June 17. Democrats approve of the President 80 - 16 percent while Republicans disapprove 80 - 14 percent. Independent voters disapprove 53 - 41 percent, compared to a 52 - 45 percent disapproval June 17.
From August 9 - 17, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,190 New Jersey voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and nationally as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter.
1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christopher Christie is handling his job as Governor?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 51% 75% 24% 61% 63% 40% 58% 25% Disapprove 36 13 63 29 27 44 30 64 DK/NA 13 12 14 10 10 16 12 11 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 38% 48% 61% 39% 66% Disapprove 50 36 26 48 25 DK/NA 12 15 13 14 9
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christopher Christie is handling his job as Governor?
Aug 19 Jun 17 2010 2010 Approve 51 44 Disapprove 36 43 DK/NA 13 12
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Stephen Sweeney is handling his job as State Senate Majority Leader?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 17% 16% 20% 16% 22% 14% 15% 28% Disapprove 28 29 27 30 33 24 27 28 DK/NA 55 56 53 55 46 63 58 44 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 24% 16% 16% 21% 13% Disapprove 28 23 31 35 26 DK/NA 48 61 53 44 61
3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Sheila Oliver is handling her job as Assembly Speaker?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 19% 14% 26% 17% 19% 18% 15% 35% Disapprove 19 21 15 21 25 14 19 18 DK/NA 63 65 59 62 56 68 66 47 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 26% 18% 17% 17% 16% Disapprove 18 17 25 19 17 DK/NA 57 64 58 65 67
4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state assembly is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 28% 25% 33% 25% 30% 26% 26% 35% Disapprove 45 48 40 50 50 42 46 41 DK/NA 27 27 27 25 20 32 28 25 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 35% 26% 22% 33% 25% Disapprove 44 45 51 40 49 DK/NA 22 29 27 27 26
5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state senate is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 30% 26% 36% 26% 32% 29% 28% 43% Disapprove 46 48 40 53 52 42 49 29 DK/NA 24 26 24 20 17 29 23 28 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 37% 29% 26% 32% 27% Disapprove 41 44 55 47 49 DK/NA 22 27 19 21 25
6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 47% 14% 80% 41% 40% 53% 38% 86% Disapprove 47 80 16 53 56 40 57 7 DK/NA 6 6 4 6 4 7 5 7 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 56% 53% 36% 54% 32% Disapprove 35 41 61 40 63 DK/NA 9 6 3 6 5
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?
APPROVE....... DIS... High Low High Aug 19 Jun 17 Jan 20 Nov 24 Jun 10 Aug 19 Aug 19 2010 2010 2010 2009 2009 2010 2010 Approve 47 50 55 51 68 47 47 Disapprove 47 46 40 42 25 47 47 DK/NA 6 4 5 7 7 6 6
7. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New Jersey today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Very satisfied 3% 6% 3% 2% 4% 3% 3% 2% Smwht satisfied 30 37 23 32 34 26 33 20 Smwht dissatisfied 37 33 42 38 33 41 36 41 Very dissatisfied 29 24 32 27 29 29 28 37 DK/NA 1 - - 1 1 - 1 - Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Very satisfied 7% 2% 2% 4% 3% Smwht satisfied 22 28 31 27 40 Smwht dissatisfied 48 37 40 35 31 Very dissatisfied 23 33 26 34 26 DK/NA 1 1 - - -
TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in New Jersey today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied? (*High also 71% Feb 1999)
VERY+SMWHT SAT High Low Aug 19 Jun 17 Jan 20 Nov 24 Jul 15 Dec 26 Jun 17 2010 2010 2010 2009 2009 2000* 2010 Very satisfied 3 2 2 1 3 10 2 Smwht satisfied 30 22 26 24 30 61 22 Smwht dissatisfied 37 36 33 31 33 21 36 Very dissatisfied 29 39 38 42 33 7 39 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
8. Would you describe Governor Christie as being more of a bully or more of a leader?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Bully 39% 17% 64% 29% 30% 46% 32% 65% Leader 51 76 23 62 62 41 58 23 DK/NA 11 7 13 9 8 13 10 12 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Bully 51% 39% 35% 47% 26% Leader 38 51 59 41 61 DK/NA 11 10 7 12 13
TREND: Would you describe Governor Christie as being more of a bully or more of a leader?
Aug 19 Jun 17 2010 2010 Bully 39 43 Leader 51 44 DK/NA 11 13
9. Would you describe Governor Christie as being confrontational or honest and refreshing?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Confrontational 46% 22% 72% 38% 37% 53% 41% 71% Honest/refreshing 43 66 17 53 52 35 47 24 DK/NA 12 12 12 10 11 12 11 5 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Confrontational 54% 47% 40% 54% 35% Honest/refreshing 31 44 50 33 53 DK/NA 15 9 10 13 12
TREND: Would you describe Governor Christie as being confrontational or honest and refreshing?
Aug 19 Jun 17 2010 2010 Confrontational 46 52 Honest/refreshing 43 38 DK/NA 12 10
10. Christopher Christie has been governor for 6 months. What letter grade would you give him for the job he has been doing as governor; A, B, C, D, or F?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk A 15% 28% 3% 15% 21% 10% 17% 2% B 32 43 19 39 39 26 36 21 C 20 14 24 21 18 22 18 24 D 16 6 27 14 12 20 16 24 F 14 6 26 9 9 19 10 30 DK/NA 2 2 2 2 1 3 3 - Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore A 9% 12% 21% 15% 22% B 21 35 36 24 38 C 20 23 20 15 19 D 29 16 12 17 11 F 20 11 9 26 9 DK/NA - 2 3 4 2