Poll: GOP's Chris Christie In Close Race For New Jersey Gubernatorial Nomination
A new Rasmussen poll in the New Jersey gubernatorial race finds that the establishment Republican choice, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, could be in a tough race for the GOP nomination against the conservative insurgent, former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.
The numbers: Christie 39%, Lonegan 29%, with a ±5% margin of error. The winner of the Republican primary, on June 2, will face Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine, whose approval ratings have been in negative territory.
From the pollster's analysis: "In primary elections, turnout is often the key. Lonegan's supporters are somewhat more committed to participating in the primary suggesting that a low turnout could favor his prospects."
My own perspective as a New Jerseyan: This state has become heavily Democratic, with Barack Obama carrying it by a 57%-42% margin. The last time the Republicans won the governorship was with the narrow re-election of the moderate Christie Whitman in 1997. In 2001, the conservative insurgent Bret Schundler won the GOP nomination, and then lost the general election by more than ten points.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Kleefeld called it!
Boy knows Jersey
May 13, 2009 7:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry Eric. My perspective - as a New Yorker who was exiled to this god-forsaken hellhole of a state - is that nobody likes Corzine one bit. Nobody. Which doesn't mean he's guaranteed to lose. But he's going to have a lot of people voting against him no matter who his opponent is. They'll worry about the details of what party and what ideology they voted for after the election.
Between the McGreevey disaster and Corzine's failure to improve people's lives one bit as governor I wouldn't assume anything. Most people are not staunch Democrats or staunch Republicans. And Corzine ain't Obama.
May 13, 2009 8:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lonegan won the Mayor's race in his town that voted 2/3 for Barack Obama.
Christie is more of the same. Why should a Dem vote for Republican that acts like a Dem ... when they can get the real thing.
May 13, 2009 8:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
--Kibitzer
May 13, 2009 9:19 PM | Reply | Permalink