Christie approvals at 19% in new poll

Gov. Chris Christie leaves office with a 19%-74% approval rating, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton poll released this morning.

A mere 5% of New Jerseyans say they will miss Christie when his eight-year tenure as Governor ends next week, while 49% said “glad to see you go, don’t let the door hit you on the way out” best describes their pre-inaugural attitude.  Still, 44% agreed that “some of it was good, some of it was bad. But thanks for your service.”

Hi favorable are at 13%-68%.

Just 18% believe Christie is leaving New Jersey in better shape that it was when he defeated Gov. Jon Corzine in 2009; 40% say the state is in worse shape, and 37% say it’s about the same.

Christie’s approvals are upside-down among Republicans: 43%-50%; among Democrats he’s at 8%-89%, and 20%-71% among independents – the bread and butter of New Jersey elections.

Republicans have an unfavorable impression of him: 31%-42%.

“This did not have to be Governor Christie’s legacy,” said Dr. Ashley Koning, assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

Koenig says that Christie has a “rare ability to unite both sides of the aisle, reaching levels of bipartisan support rarely seen by New Jersey governors – let alone politicians, in general.”

“What makes this story especially tragic is how Rutgers-Eagleton Poll Gov. Christie’s Final Grades January 2018 4 quickly this potential was squandered in his second term and how far Christie fell as a result, going from one of the most lauded to now the least liked and approved of ever,” Koenig said.  “He leaves office with the largest ratings fall and the largest margin of residents against him in the state’s modern history.”

With 19% approvals, it’s not surprising that Christie does poorly across every demographic group: 14%-78% among women; and 24%-69% with men.  He’s at 22%-72% with whites and 14%-78% among non-whites. Every income group disapproves of Christie, but his worst number comes from those making $100,000 to $150,000 a year – 81%-15%.  Christie’s lowest geographic approvals come in South Jersey, where he’s at 78%-16%.

Christie’s report card: 2% give him an A, 10% a B, 32% a C, 25% a D and 30% say he gets a failing grade.  Republicans give him mostly a C (46%).

Only 4% of New Jersey gave Christie an A on Crime & Drugs, despite being featured in a $42 million ad campaign on opioid abuse.  On taxes, Christie gets an F from 48% of New Jersey.  More state residents fail him on education and schools than any other great.