Poll: Christie's Lead Slipping, As Indy Daggett Gains Support

A new Monmouth poll in the New Jersey gubernatorial race finds the gap shrinking between Republican former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie and incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine. Independent Chris Daggett could be playing spoiler against Christie -- and Corzine's recent attacks are working, too.

The numbers: Christie 43%, Corzine 40%, Daggett 8%, with a ±4.3% margin of error. Three weeks ago, Christie had led by 47%-39%-5%. The numbers point to a potential flow directly from Christie to Daggett, as the attacks against Christie keep on coming. A Quinnipiac poll yesterday showed the same possible trend, as well.

The pollster's analysis also says that Corzine's attacks against Christie's advocacy of mandate-free insurance policies -- which the Corzine camp says would enable insurance companies to take away women's mammogram coverage -- is helping him tear down Christie among independent women: "While these voters had been giving their soft support to Christie based on discontent with the Corzine economic record, they appear to have beaten a hasty retreat when threats to their health care access were raised."