New Jersey (NJ) Poll * February 7, 2001 * McGreevey Leads DiFrancesco, S - Quinnipiac University

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February 7, 2001 - McGreevey Leads DiFrancesco, Schundler In NJ Gov Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Whitman Scored High On Environment, Low On Race Relations


Democrat James McGreevey leads Republican Gov. Donald DiFrancesco 40 - 32 percent in an early look at the New Jersey governor's race, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. But 25 percent of voters are undecided and both candidates have low recognition.
In a December 6, 2000, poll by the independent Quinnipiac University, McGreevey led DiFrancesco 41 - 26 percent, with 30 percent undecided.
In this latest poll, McGreevey leads Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler 46 - 22 percent, with 29 percent undecided, compared to a 40 - 24 percent lead December 6.
DiFrancesco leads Schundler among Republican Primary voters 45 - 16 percent.
From January 30 - February 5, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,156 New Jersey registered voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percent. The survey included 310 registered Republican voters with a margin of error of +/- 5.6 percent
"At this early stage, it looks like a generic Democrat v. Republican matchup in New Jersey. Voters don't know much about the candidates, but they'd pick Mayor McGreevey over their new Governor, DiFrancesco. Mayor Schundler is way back in the GOP Primary and in a general election matchup," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
By a 17 - 5 percent margin, voters have a favorable opinion of DiFrancesco, with 14 percent mixed and 63 percent who say they haven't heard enough to form an opinion.
McGreevey gets a 17 - 6 percent favorability, with 11 percent mixed and 65 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion.
Schundler's favorability is 10 - 5 percent, with 7 percent mixed and 78 percent who haven't heard enough to form an opinion.
New Jersey voters approve 56 - 35 percent of the job Christine Whitman did as governor. Rating Whitman's handling of specific issues, voters say: Environment - 10 percent "excellent," 50 percent "good," 21 percent "not so good" and 13 percent "poor;" Taxes - 7 percent "excellent," 46 percent "good," 26 percent "not so good" and 18 percent "poor;" Education - 7 percent "excellent," 52 percent "good," 22 percent "not so good" and 12 percent "poor;" Race Relations - 4 percent "excellent," 35 percent "good," 34 percent "not so good" and 22 percent saying "poor;"
Whitman made New jersey a better place to live, according to 48 percent of voters, while 15 percent say she made it a worse place and 32 percent say she didn't make a difference.
"New Jersey voters say Christine Whitman did a good job in Trenton and 65 percent are confident she'll do a good job in Washington," Carroll said. "On that perennial New Jersey issue -- taxes -- they give Whitman so-so marks. And with stories on racial profiling popping up in the headlines, she gets a negative rating on race relations."
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as a public service and for research.
For additional data -- www.quinnipiac.edu
1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman handled her job as Governor over the last seven years?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 56% 74% 42% 58% 57% 56% Disapprove 35 19 48 34 34 36 DK/NA 9 7 11 8 9 9
5. Is your opinion of James McGreevey favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 17% 10% 22% 18% 22% 12% Unfavorable 6 9 4 6 7 6 Mixed 11 15 8 12 12 10 Hvn't hrd enough 65 63 65 64 57 71 REFUSED 1 2 1 - 1 1
6. Is your opinion of Bret Schundler favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 10% 16% 5% 11% 13% 7% Unfavorable 5 3 6 5 6 4 Mixed 7 6 8 7 6 7 Hvn't hrd enough 78 75 80 76 75 81 REFUSED 1 - 1 - 1 1
7. Is your opinion of Donald DiFrancesco favorable, unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Favorable 17% 30% 9% 17% 23% 12% Unfavorable 5 4 5 6 6 5 Mixed 14 12 11 18 13 15 Hvn't hrd enough 63 53 74 58 58 68 REFUSED 1 - 1 1 1 1
8. If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were James McGreevey the Democrat and Donald DiFrancesco the Republican for whom would you vote?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom McGreevey 40% 9% 73% 33% 39% 42% DiFrancesco 32 70 6 31 35 29 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 1 2 2 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 1 2 1 1 2 DK/NA 25 18 18 32 22 27
9. If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were James McGreevey the Democrat and Bret Schundler the Republican for whom would you vote?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom McGreevey 46% 12% 77% 42% 46% 46% Schundler 22 58 3 17 24 21 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 1 1 1 2 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 2 2 2 2 2 2 DK/NA 29 27 17 37 27 31
10. (If registered Republican) If the Republican primary for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were Donald DiFrancesco and Bret Schundler for whom would you vote?
Registered Republicans Tot DiFrancesco 45% Schundler 16 SMONE ELSE(VOL) 1 WLDN'T VOTE(VOL) 4 DK/NA 34
11. Do you think that as Governor, Christine Whitman made New Jersey a better place to live, a worse place to live, or didn't she make a difference?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Better 48% 65% 38% 48% 49% 48% Worse 15 7 18 17 15 14 No diff 32 25 38 31 32 32 DK/NA 5 3 7 4 4 6
12. How would you rate Whitman's handling of taxes -- excellent, good, not so good, or poor?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Excellent 7% 12% 2% 7% 9% 5% Good 46 56 40 46 48 44 Not so good 26 22 30 24 23 28 Poor 18 9 22 20 17 19 DK/NA 4 2 6 4 3 5
13. How would you rate Whitman's handling of education -- ?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Excellent 7% 10% 4% 7% 9% 6% Good 52 62 49 50 53 51 Not so good 22 18 24 24 22 23 Poor 12 6 16 13 10 14 DK/NA 6 5 7 6 6 7
14. How would you rate Whitman's handling of race relations -- ?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Excellent 4% 7% 1% 4% 5% 3% Good 35 47 28 33 35 34 Not so good 34 33 33 36 34 33 Poor 22 8 33 22 22 23 DK/NA 6 5 5 5 4 7
15. How would you rate Whitman's handling of the environment -- ?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Excellent 10% 16% 6% 10% 10% 10% Good 50 63 43 48 51 49 Not so good 21 14 25 24 22 21 Poor 13 4 19 14 14 13 DK/NA 6 5 7 5 3 7
16. As you may know, President Bush has nominated Christine Whitman to head the federal Environmental Protection Agency. How confident are you that Christine Whitman will do a good job as head of the Environmental Protection Agency? Very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not confident at all?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Very confident 24% 43% 15% 19% 27% 21% Smwht confident 41 43 38 44 38 44 Not too confident 21 11 27 23 20 22 Not confident at all 12 2 17 13 14 11 DK/NA 2 1 3 1 2 2