Quinnipiac: NJ Gov. McGreevey reelect at 28%, Bush approval at 44%

[NewJerseyDem]

http://www.politicsnj.com/default_March9_2004.asp (must scroll down on left)

McGreevey: 38% approve, 47% disapprove
McGreevey: 28% re-elect, 55% someone new
Bush: 44% approve, 52% disapprove
Corzine: 47% approve, 28% disapprove
Lautenberg: 44% approve, 33% disapprove
State legislature: 34% approve, 47% disapprove

New Jersey voters continue to disapprove of Gov. James E. McGreevey, who has experienced only a marginal increase in popularity since last year, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released this morning. The poll gives the Governor an upside-down 38%-47% approval rating. Most New Jerseyans still say they prefer a new Governor next year, while just 28% say they would re-elect McGreevey to a second term.

These numbers represent a slight increase over McGreevey's popularity levels of last year: 34%-52% on November 12, and 35%-52% on September 24.

"There has been a slight increase in Gov. McGreevey's approval rating, but for the most part, New Jersey voters don't like what he is doing," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"Voters don't like his budget; they don't like how he is handling the economy; they don't agree when he says things are getting better and they particularly don't like how he is handling property taxes."

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Typo in body of message?

Re-elect McGreevey should be 28%....

[NewJerseyDem]

3. Thanks, there's a typo in my subject line also (n/t)

[mot78]

2. It's the economy stupid

Whoever is in charge during a recession, regardless of what party they belong to, they're likely to get thrown out. Unfortunately McGreevey seems distined for that. I just hope his job approval goes up enough in 2005.

[NewJerseyDem]

4. Well, McGreevey's kind of corrupt

I think that is more of his problem than anything having to do with the economy. On that issue, voters actually voted in more democratic legislators into the state legislature in 2003 because they support McGreevey's policies in general and they blame the budget probelms on Christie Whitman a lot, but they don't like McGreevey's nearly daily ethics problems.

[arcos]

5. Corzine more popular than Lautenberg...

very interesting...

[Kahuna]

6. Corzine is the joint. A poll a month ago said he was the

most popular politician in the state. Go Corzine!!!!! I love that man! :loveya:

[NewJerseyDem]

7. 2002 probably hurt Lautenberg

I guess that the controversy over the 2002 election might have turned off some voters but not enough to keep him from getting elected.

[Wabbajack]

8. McGreevey will probably still win

Aren't the repubs pretty much dead in NJ?

[NewJerseyDem]

9. It depends who the republicans nominate

The republican party is increasingly weak on a national level, but on the state level it survives.

The republicans fared poorly in the 2003 midterms because they just ran by saying McGreevey is evil so vote for the republicans. But, McGreevey wasn't running so it is a really bad campaign strategy. Also, there were very few races that could be in play and in those races the democrats did better.

In the gubernatorial contest, McGreevey will be in a lot of trouble if the republicans nominate a moderate like state Senators Diane Allen or Tome Kean, Jr. If they nominate right wing nut 2001 nominee Bret Schundler (who is rumored to be considering a run to return as Jersey City mayor) then I think McGreevey survives. The republican party is struggling, but they could beat such an unpopular governor.

Also, there is the possibility that democratic Congressman Rob Andrews (who lost to McGreevey in the 1997 gubernatorial primary) might challenge McGreevey in 2005. He has said that people have asked him to run and that he hasn't said no. So, if he runs then everything really changes a lot.