November 9, 2010 - New Jersey's Christie Gets Good Grades For First Year, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; But Voters Say 2-1 He's Not Ready For White House Word format New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie gets decent grades from voters as he nears the end of his first year in office, with a 51 - 38 percent approval rating, higher than President Barack Obama or any other statewide leader, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Assigning letter grades to the governor's performance, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds: 17 percent of New Jersey voters give Christie an A; 31 percent give him a B; 20 percent give him a C; 16 percent give him a D; 15 percent give him an F. Christie is more of a leader than a bully, voters say 50 - 42 percent. But 48 percent say he is "confrontational," while 43 percent say he is "honest and refreshing." His first year in office has been mainly a success, 52 percent of voters say, while 35 percent say it's been mainly a failure. Christie is doing a better job than expected, 32 percent say, as 23 percent say he is doing a worse job and 42 percent say he is doing about as well as they expected. "We like our in-your-face governor, Christopher Christie, and think he's a real Jersey guy - sometimes a bully, often confrontational, but getting a fair number of A's and a lot of B's in his first year," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "But all that Christie-for-President chatter in the national news media? New Jerseyans think it's more political gossip than a serious possibility. Only one in five think he might run and most doubt that he's ready for the White House." New Jersey voters say 61 - 24 percent that Christie would not make a good president. Even Republicans say only 45 - 36 percent that their governor is ready for the White House. Christie will not run for president in 2012, voters say 60 - 21 percent, and speculation that he will is just political gossip, 67 percent of voters say. Still, Christie outscores President Obama, who gets a negative 46 - 50 percent approval rating in the Garden State, down from a 47 - 47 percent split in an August 19 Quinnipiac University poll and Obama's worst score ever in the state. Other New Jersey elected officials don't do much better: Voters disapprove 28 - 20 percent of the way the State Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney is doing his job, with 52 percent undecided; Voters disapprove 22 - 19 percent of the job Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver is doing, with 59 percent undecided; Voters approve 31 - 18 percent of the job Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno is doing, with 50 percent undecided; Voters disapprove 51 - 28 percent of the State Assembly; Voters disapprove 53 - 29 percent of the State Senate. Voters are evenly divided on New Jersey's two U.S. Senators, giving Sen. Frank Lautenberg a split 43 - 44 percent approval rating and giving Sen. Robert Menendez a slightly negative 38 - 41 percent score. "Just about everyone has an opinion on Gov. Christie, but it looks as if New Jerseyans don't pay attention to Trenton. We don't know much about Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney or Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver," Carroll said. "Sen. Robert Menendez is said to be getting into gear for his 2012 campaign. He'd better. Not only did Democrats lose Bergen County, right next door to Menendez' Hudson County home, on Election Day; he gets a slightly negative job approval measure. "Only overwhelming support among black voters keeps President Barack Obama's job approval from tanking. He trails badly among white voters in a state that still looks pretty blue." From November 3 - 8, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,362 New Jersey voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 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% 79% 22% 56% 58% 45% 58% 14% Disapprove 38 12 68 32 31 45 33 71 DK/NA 10 9 10 12 11 10 9 15 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 39% 47% 59% 50% 61% Disapprove 51 43 28 41 29 DK/NA 10 10 13 9 10 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christopher Christie is handling his job as Governor? Nov 09 Aug 19 Jun 17 2010 2010 2010 Approve 51 51 44 Disapprove 38 36 43 DK/NA 10 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 20% 19% 24% 17% 23% 18% 20% 19% Disapprove 28 27 20 34 33 23 29 21 DK/NA 52 54 55 48 44 60 51 60 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 17% 17% 16% 32% 20% Disapprove 22 28 27 29 31 DK/NA 61 55 57 40 49 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Stephen Sweeney is handling his job as State Senate Majority Leader? Nov 09 Aug 19 2010 2010 Approve 20 17 Disapprove 28 28 DK/NA 52 55 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% 15% 23% 19% 18% 20% 18% 24% Disapprove 22 23 18 27 27 18 22 20 DK/NA 59 62 60 54 55 62 60 56 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 21% 21% 15% 19% 17% Disapprove 19 22 24 15 29 DK/NA 59 57 61 67 54 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Sheila Oliver is handling her job as Assembly Speaker? Nov 09 Aug 19 2010 2010 Approve 19 19 Disapprove 22 19 DK/NA 59 63 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% 27% 31% 26% 23% 32% 28% 27% Disapprove 51 48 50 56 58 44 51 53 DK/NA 21 26 20 19 18 24 21 21 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 30% 27% 31% 28% 24% Disapprove 54 52 44 52 52 DK/NA 16 21 24 20 24 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state assembly is handling its job? Nov 09 Aug 19 2010 2010 Approve 28 28 Disapprove 51 45 DK/NA 21 27 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 29% 27% 32% 28% 27% 31% 30% 20% Disapprove 53 53 50 57 58 49 54 53 DK/NA 18 20 18 15 15 20 16 26 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 25% 28% 34% 31% 27% Disapprove 52 56 43 54 57 DK/NA 24 15 22 15 16 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state senate is handling its job? Nov 09 Aug 19 2010 2010 Approve 29 30 Disapprove 53 46 DK/NA 18 24 6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Frank Lautenberg is handling his job as United States Senator? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 43% 22% 65% 40% 36% 48% 41% 58% Disapprove 44 66 19 47 53 36 48 21 DK/NA 13 12 16 13 11 16 11 21 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 51% 46% 40% 42% 33% Disapprove 28 42 46 43 57 DK/NA 21 11 14 15 10 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Frank Lautenberg is handling his job as United States Senator? (*High approve also 55% Sep 1999 & Jul 1999) APPROVE....... DIS... High Low High Nov 09 Jun 17 Jan 20 Nov 24 Jul 27 Feb 20 Jun 17 2010 2010 2010 2009 2000* 2008 2010 Approve 43 40 46 40 55 39 40 Disapprove 44 47 42 41 22 31 47 DK/NA 13 13 12 20 23 29 13 7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Menendez is handling his job as United States Senator? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 38% 20% 57% 37% 35% 41% 37% 45% Disapprove 41 58 17 48 50 34 46 24 DK/NA 20 22 26 15 15 25 18 30 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 48% 43% 34% 39% 29% Disapprove 26 41 41 39 55 DK/NA 27 16 26 23 16 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Menendez is handling his job as United States Senator? APPROVE....... DIS.. High Low High Nov 09 Jun 17 Jan 20 Nov 24 Feb 4 Feb 20 Jun 17 2010 2010 2010 2009 2009 2008 2010 Approve 38 38 41 36 42 30 38 Disapprove 41 43 41 37 30 31 43 DK/NA 20 18 17 27 28 39 18 8. 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 46% 12% 85% 42% 41% 51% 36% 92% Disapprove 50 84 13 55 56 45 61 3 DK/NA 4 4 2 4 3 4 2 5 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 65% 46% 39% 52% 35% Disapprove 30 50 58 47 60 DK/NA 5 4 3 1 5 TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? APPROVE....... DIS... High Low High Nov 09 Aug 19 Jun 17 Jan 20 Jun 10 Nov 09 Nov 09 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2010 2010 Approve 46 47 50 55 68 46 46 Disapprove 50 47 46 40 25 50 50 DK/NA 4 6 4 5 7 4 4 9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Kim Guadagno is handling her job as Lieutenant Governor? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Approve 31% 36% 26% 31% 33% 30% 30% 37% Disapprove 18 10 23 22 20 17 18 25 DK/NA 50 53 50 48 47 53 52 37 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 33% 30% 24% 28% 42% Disapprove 17 18 15 22 20 DK/NA 51 52 61 50 38 10. 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 4% 8% 3% 3% 5% 4% 5% 2% Smwht satisfied 28 44 19 25 30 26 31 21 Smwht dissatisfied 32 25 38 32 32 32 31 31 Very dissatisfied 35 22 40 39 32 37 32 46 DK/NA 1 2 - 1 1 1 1 - Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Very satisfied 4% 4% 4% 3% 6% Smwht satisfied 19 29 36 28 27 Smwht dissatisfied 30 35 33 31 30 Very dissatisfied 44 32 28 37 36 DK/NA 2 1 - 2 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 Nov 9 Aug 19 Jun 17 Jan 20 Nov 24 Dec 26 Jun 17 2010 2010 2010 2010 2009 2000* 2010 Very satisfied 4 3 2 2 1 10 2 Smwht satisfied 28 30 22 26 24 61 22 Smwht dissatisfied 32 37 36 33 31 21 36 Very dissatisfied 35 29 39 38 42 7 39 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11. Would you say that Christopher Christie is doing a better job as governor than you expected, a worse job, or about what you expected? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Better 32% 51% 11% 35% 40% 25% 38% 6% Worse 23 9 38 21 20 26 20 41 Expected 42 36 49 42 38 45 39 52 DK/NA 3 5 3 2 2 4 3 2 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Better 22% 33% 35% 30% 38% Worse 32 25 20 24 16 Expected 43 40 41 46 42 DK/NA 3 3 4 1 4 12. Since Christopher Christie became governor in January 2010, do you feel that things in New Jersey have gotten better, worse, or stayed about the same? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Better 27% 49% 5% 27% 34% 20% 31% 5% Worse 31 11 53 28 25 37 27 61 The same 41 38 42 44 40 42 41 34 DK/NA 1 2 - 1 1 1 1 - Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Better 15% 26% 31% 26% 33% Worse 46 35 25 34 20 The same 38 38 43 40 47 DK/NA 1 1 1 1 - 13. 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 42% 15% 68% 41% 35% 47% 35% 79% Leader 50 78 22 53 57 45 58 8 DK/NA 8 7 10 6 8 8 6 13 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Bully 54% 41% 38% 45% 34% Leader 33 52 54 48 59 DK/NA 13 7 9 7 6 TREND: Would you describe Governor Christie as being more of a bully or more of a leader? Nov 09 Aug 19 Jun 17 2010 2010 2010 Bully 42 39 43 Leader 50 51 44 DK/NA 8 11 13 14. Would you describe Governor Christie as being confrontational or honest and refreshing? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Confrontational 48% 23% 73% 47% 41% 54% 42% 76% Honest/Refreshing 43 70 15 45 49 38 50 10 DK/NA 9 7 11 8 10 8 7 15 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Confrontational 59% 51% 43% 48% 40% Honest/Refreshing 26 43 45 44 52 DK/NA 16 5 12 8 8 TREND: Would you describe Governor Christie as being confrontational or honest and refreshing? Nov 09 Aug 19 Jun 17 2010 2010 2010 Confrontational 48 46 52 Honest/refreshing 43 43 38 DK/NA 9 12 10 15. As Governor Christie closes out his first year as Governor, would you say it has been mainly a success or mainly a failure? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Success 52% 79% 25% 56% 60% 45% 60% 13% Failure 35 13 62 31 31 40 30 70 DK/NA 12 8 13 13 9 15 11 17 Philly Urban SbUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Success 32% 52% 59% 50% 62% Failure 55 37 28 36 26 DK/NA 13 11 13 15 12 16. 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 17% 35% 2% 16% 21% 14% 20% - B 31 40 19 35 37 26 35 13 C 20 14 25 19 16 23 17 34 D 16 4 24 18 14 17 14 22 F 15 4 28 12 11 18 13 29 DK/NA 1 3 2 - 1 2 1 2 TREND: What letter grade would you give him for the job he has been doing as governor; A, B, C, D, or F ? (* Included reference to 6 months) Nov 09 Aug 19 2010 *2010 A 17 15 B 31 32 C 20 20 D 16 16 F 15 14 DK/NA 1 2 17. Do you think Christopher Christie would make a good President or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Yes 24% 45% 5% 24% 28% 21% 30% 2% No 61 36 87 61 57 65 54 94 DK/NA 15 20 9 15 15 14 17 4 18. Do you think Christopher Christie will run for President in 2012 or not? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Yes, will run 21% 16% 28% 22% 20% 23% 21% 23% No, will not run 60 65 55 61 64 56 62 56 DK/NA 18 19 17 17 16 21 17 20 19. Do you think the Christie-for-President talk represents a serious political movement or just political gossip? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk Political movement 25% 29% 21% 26% 23% 27% 28% 15% Gossip 67 61 68 69 70 63 64 78 DK/NA 8 9 10 5 6 10 8 7 20. As you may know, Christopher Christie traveled to other states to campaign for Republican candidates in the 2010 elections. Does this make you think more favorably of Christie, less favorably of Christie, or doesn't it make a difference? Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk More favorably 16% 34% 3% 11% 19% 13% 18% 1% Less favorably 21 6 37 20 19 24 20 41 Doesn't make diff 62 58 60 69 62 63 62 56 DK/NA - 1 - - 1 - - 2
