Gov. Christopher Christie has a 53%-45% job approval rating, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll released today.
About two-thirds of New Jersey voters (65%) support a one-year salary freeze for teachers, administrators and other school workers, while just 28% oppose it. Nearly eight out of ten voters (70%) say the unwillingness of politicians to control government spending is a bigger problem that the unwillingness by voters to pay more taxes. Only 11% see things the other way.
57% of voters say the state would be better off if incumbent legislators were defeated in November; 16% say it would be better if they were re-elected. 31% believe their local legislator deserves re-election, but 32% want a new person. The only contested legislative races this year are in the politically competitive 14th district, where newly-elected State Sen. Thomas Goodwin (R-Hamilton) faces six-term Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro), and special elections for Senate and Assembly in the hugely Democratic 5th district.
Christie has a 64% approval rating among independents, and is at 80% with Republicans. But 70% of Democrats disapprove of his job performance. Christie has approvals from 58% of white voters, but is upside-down among African Americans, with 90% disapproval. Among all voters, 32% strongly approve of his first three months in office while 30% strongly disapprove. Middle-income voters are more approving than those on both ends of the wage spectrum.
