New Jersey (NJ) Poll * December 7, 2006 * New Jersey Voters Support Same - Quinnipiac University

Home> Institutes and Centers> Quinnipiac University Polling Institute> New Jersey (NJ)> Release Detail

December 7, 2006 - New Jersey Voters Support Same-Sex Civil Unions, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Governor's Approval At New High

New Jersey voters support 60 - 35 percent a law allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions, with the legal rights of married couples, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Only 5 percent remain undecided.
Independent voters support civil unions 68 - 27 percent, with Democratic support at 61 - 33 percent and Republicans opposed by a narrow 49 - 46 percent margin.
But voters oppose 50 - 44 percent a law that would allow same sex couples to get married, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Democrats support gay marriage 52 - 42 percent, while independent voters support it 50 - 46 percent and Republicans oppose it 70 - 25 percent.
New Jersey voters oppose 58 - 37 percent a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Democrats oppose an amendment 64 - 32 percent and independent voters oppose it 63 - 33 percent, while Republicans support an amendment 53 - 43 percent.
"New Jersey voters are sending a clear message to the Legislature in Trenton that they do not want gay marriage in the state, but at the same time they oppose a state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Voters approve the legalization of civil unions for gays, but say 51 - 42 percent that if gays can be guaranteed equal rights under the law without legalizing civil unions, that's okay too."
New Jersey voters approve 49 - 32 percent of the job Gov. Jon Corzine is doing, his highest approval in his first year in office. This compares to a 45 - 36 percent approval in a September 20 Quinnipiac University poll.
Democrats approve of Gov. Corzine 66 - 18 percent and independent voters approve 47 - 32 percent, while Republicans disapprove 51 - 28 percent.
All voters disapprove 50 - 31 percent of the job the State Legislature is doing. Democrats approve by a narrow 42 - 39 percent margin, while Republicans disapprove 57 - 22 percent and independent voters disapprove 54 - 26 percent.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg gets a 44 - 33 percent approval and Sen. Robert Menendez gets a split 39 - 37 percent score, matching his highest rating in his first year in office.
While voters approve of Corzine, they say 74 - 12 percent that he should not run for President. Only 33 percent say he is qualified to be President.
If Corzine runs for President, only 26 percent say they "definitely" or "probably" will vote for him, with 61 percent who say they "probably" or "definitely" won't.
"For the first time since he took office, Gov. Corzine is almost at the 50 percent approval mark. But the Governor should not let the new support go to his head yet. New Jersey voters don't want him to run for President and wouldn't back him if he did," Richards said.
Voters disapprove 70 - 26 percent of the job President George W. Bush is doing and disapprove 75 - 22 percent of his handling of the war in Iraq. Other findings are:
64 - 32 percent say going to war in Iraq was the wrong thing to do; 65 - 18 percent say the U.S. is losing the war in Iraq; 43 - 39 percent say the U.S. is losing the war on worldwide terrorism; 58 - 36 percent support Sen. Menendez' call to get U.S. troops out of Iraq by 2008.
From November 28 - December 3, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,392 New Jersey voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 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 -- www.quinnipiac.edu and click on Institutes and Centers, or call (203) 582-5201.
1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jon Corzine is handling his job as Governor?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 49% 28% 66% 47% 49% 49% Disapprove 32 51 18 32 33 31 DK/NA 19 21 16 20 19 20 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 59% 54% 40% 42% 44% Disapprove 20 28 47 31 36 DK/NA 21 17 13 27 21
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jon Corzine is handling his job as Governor?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Dec 7 Sep 20 Jul 14 Jun 16 Apr 26 Dec 7 Apr 26 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 Approve 49 45 44 39 35 49 35 Disapprove 32 36 43 41 42 32 42 DK/NA 19 19 13 20 23 19 23
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 31% 22% 42% 26% 28% 33% Disapprove 50 57 39 54 56 44 DK/NA 19 21 18 20 16 23 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 31% 34% 21% 32% 31% Disapprove 43 46 60 50 53 DK/NA 25 20 19 18 15
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Dec 7 Sep 20 Jul 14 Jun 16 Apr 26 Jan 26 Jul 14 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2005 2006 Approve 31 27 20 27 26 44 20 Disapprove 50 55 71 53 55 31 71 DK/NA 19 18 10 19 20 25 10
3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Frank Lautenberg is handling his job as United States Senator?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 44% 27% 58% 43% 47% 41% Disapprove 33 48 21 33 35 30 DK/NA 23 24 22 24 17 29 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 47% 47% 36% 48% 40% Disapprove 22 33 45 26 36 DK/NA 31 21 19 26 24
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Frank Lautenberg is handling his job as United States Senator? * - also hit 55% on 9/23/1999 & 7/22/1999
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Dec 7 Jun 15 Apr 27 Mar 20 Jan 25 Jul 27 Jun 18 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2000 * 2003 Approve 44 44 43 47 44 55 41 Disapprove 33 34 32 30 34 22 34 DK/NA 23 21 25 23 22 23 25
4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Menendez is handling his job as United States Senator?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 39% 18% 60% 34% 40% 38% Disapprove 37 61 18 40 43 32 DK/NA 24 21 22 26 17 29 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 53% 42% 27% 36% 34% Disapprove 24 36 51 34 42 DK/NA 23 22 22 30 24
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Menendez is handling his job as United States Senator? * also hit 39% on 3/20/06
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Dec 7 Sep 20 Jul 17 Jun 15 Apr 27 Dec 7 Jul 17 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 * 2006 Approve 39 34 31 37 34 39 31 Disapprove 37 31 30 29 25 37 30 DK/NA 24 35 39 34 41 24 39
5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 26% 65% 4% 20% 25% 27% Disapprove 70 27 95 75 71 69 DK/NA 4 8 1 4 4 4 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Approve 12% 21% 37% 27% 36% Disapprove 83 75 59 70 60 DK/NA 4 5 4 3 4
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President? * also hit 26% 4/27/06
Highest Lowest Approve Approve Dec 7 Sep 20 Jul 17 Jun 15 Apr 27 Oct 18 Dec 7 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2001 2006 * Approve 26 33 34 28 26 90 26 Disapprove 70 64 61 69 69 7 70 DK/NA 4 4 5 3 5 3 4
8. Would you like Jon Corzine to run for President in 2008 or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 12% 5% 20% 11% 12% 12% No 74 88 64 74 76 72 DK/NA 14 7 16 16 13 15 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes 24% 15% 8% 6% 7% No 60 71 81 78 80 DK/NA 16 14 12 16 13
9. Regardless of whether or not you would vote for him, do you think Jon Corzine is qualified to be President of the U.S.?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Yes 33% 21% 47% 30% 35% 31% No 52 67 38 55 53 52 DK/NA 15 11 16 16 12 17 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Yes 41% 40% 26% 28% 24% No 39 46 64 54 63 DK/NA 20 14 10 18 13
10. If Jon Corzine were to run for President in 2008, how likely is it that you would vote for him? Do you think you would definitely vote for him, probably vote for him, probably not vote for him, or definitely not vote for him?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Definitely 6% 1% 11% 6% 8% 5% Probably 20 5 35 17 19 21 Probably not 26 24 24 31 26 27 Definitely not 35 64 16 33 38 33 DK/NA 12 6 14 13 9 14 Philly Urban SubUrbn ExUrbn land Shore Definitely 11% 8% 3% 5% 3% Probably 28 20 15 21 18 Probably not 23 27 24 29 27 Definitely not 24 31 51 34 40 DK/NA 14 14 7 11 12
20. Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to form civil unions, giving them many of the legal rights of married couples?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 60% 46% 61% 68% 57% 63% Oppose 35 49 33 27 40 31 DK/NA 5 5 5 5 4 6
TREND: Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to form civil unions, giving them many of the legal rights of married couples?
Dec 7 Nov 8 2006 2006 Support 60 56 Oppose 35 34 DK/NA 5 10
21. Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 44% 25% 52% 50% 39% 49% Oppose 50 70 42 46 57 44 DK/NA 5 5 6 5 4 6
TREND: Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married?
Dec 7 Nov 8 2006 2006 Support 44 41 Oppose 50 50 DK/NA 5 9
22. The New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same rights as heterosexual ones and that state legislators must rewrite the laws to make this happen. If you had to choose, which would you prefer: allowing same sex couples to form civil unions or allowing same sex couples to get married?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Civil unions 55% 71% 47% 53% 59% 51% Get married 29 14 37 32 25 33 DK/NA 16 15 16 15 16 15
TREND: The New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled that homosexual couples are entitled to the same rights as heterosexual ones and that state legislators must rewrite the laws to make this happen. If you had to choose, which would you prefer - allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions or allowing same-sex couples to get married?
Dec 7 Nov 8 2006 2006 Civil unions 55 51 Get married 29 28 DK/NA 16 21
23. Some say it is possible to pass laws giving same sex couples equal legal rights without legalizing civil unions specifically. Would you support or oppose giving same sex couples equal rights under the law without legalizing civil unions?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 51% 47% 50% 54% 52% 49% Oppose 42 45 43 39 43 41 DK/NA 7 8 7 7 5 10
24. Would you support or oppose an amendment to the New Jersey state constitution to ban same sex-marriage?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 37% 53% 32% 33% 42% 33% Oppose 58 43 64 63 55 62 DK/NA 4 4 4 4 3 5
25. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Approve 22% 54% 4% 19% 21% 24% Disapprove 75 41 95 78 77 72 DK/NA 3 6 1 3 2 4
TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq?
Dec 7 Sep 20 Jun 15 Apr 27 Mar 20 Jan 25 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 Approve 22 30 28 25 27 34 Disapprove 75 66 68 71 69 62 DK/NA 3 4 3 5 4 4
26. Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Right thing 32% 69% 8% 31% 35% 30% Wrong thing 64 25 90 64 62 65 DK/NA 4 6 2 5 3 5
TREND: Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
Dec 7 Sep 20 Jun 15 Apr 27 Mar 20 Jan 25 Oct 19 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2004 Right thing 32 36 33 31 33 38 44 Wrong thing 64 59 62 63 62 58 51 DK/NA 4 5 5 6 6 4 5
27. From what you have seen or heard about the situation in Iraq, what should the United States do? Should the U.S. increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, keep the same number of U.S. troops in Iraq as there are now, decrease the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, or remove all its troops from Iraq?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Increase troops 17% 30% 7% 17% 23% 12% Keep same amount 16 30 7 16 17 15 Decrease troops 25 19 29 26 23 27 Remove all troops 34 12 52 31 30 38 DK/NA 8 9 5 10 7 9
TREND: From what you have seen or heard about the situation in Iraq, what should the United States do? Should the U.S. increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, keep the same number of U.S. troops in Iraq as there are now, decrease the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, or remove all its troops from Iraq?
Dec 7 Sep 20 Jun 15 Apr 27 2006 2006 2006 2006 Increase troops 17 17 12 10 Keep same amount 16 19 23 20 Decrease troops 25 25 28 23 Remove all troops 34 30 33 39 DK/NA 8 9 4 8
28. Is the United States winning or losing the war in Iraq?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Winning 18% 42% 3% 17% 22% 14% Losing 65 35 86 66 65 65 DK/NA 17 24 11 17 13 20
TREND: Is the United States winning or losing the war in Iraq?
Dec 7 Sep 20 2006 2006 Winning 18 29 Losing 65 50 DK/NA 17 20
29. Is the United States winning or losing the war on worldwide terrorism?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Winning 39% 69% 24% 34% 48% 32% Losing 43 16 62 45 39 47 DK/NA 17 15 13 21 13 21
TREND: Is the United States winning or losing the war on worldwide terrorism?
Dec 7 Sep 20 2006 2006 Winning 39 44 Losing 43 37 DK/NA 17 18
30. Senator Robert Menendez says his first priority is to push for U.S. troops to leave Iraq by the 2008 presidential election. Do you support or oppose this proposal by Senator Menendez?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Support 58% 30% 82% 56% 51% 65% Oppose 36 65 14 37 45 28 DK/NA 6 4 4 8 4 7