Gov. Phil Murphy, who is in his fifteenth day in office, has a 35%-21% approval rating, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released this morning.
President Trump has upside-down approvals in New Jersey of 31%-60% — not much different than where he’s been since last March.
Murphy’s numbers mark an improvement in approvals for a New Jersey governor since Chris Christie left office two weeks ago, but those are apples and oranges. So are comparisons to other polls for a new governor.
Murphy is at 55%-5% among Democrats, 25%-22% with Independents, and heavily upside down – as should be the case – among Republicans, 9%-46%
His numbers among millennials – people born between 1983 and 2000 – are at 44%-8%. Murphy is at 32%-21% with men, and 37%-20% among women. His approvals are at 31%-24% with white voters and 37%-20% among women. Murphy is 36%-17% among college graduates.
“At this point, support, or lack thereof, for Murphy is more of a gut reaction. However, it’s notable that Murphy fares worse in the so-called ‘honeymoon period’ than Christie and Jon Corzine,” said Krista Jenkins, director of the FDU Poll and a professor of political science.
FDU says that Christie began with 48%-31% approvals, and Corzine was at 47%-16%.
That’s not an entirely fair comparison, since the comparable poll about Christie’s approvals was taken a week before he became governor and specifically asks about his approvals during the transition. The comparable Corzine poll was taken in March, two months into his term – that’s different than two weeks.
The FDU poll tests right direction/wrong direction for the country, not the state. In New Jersey, 33% view the country as headed in the right direction, and 58% in the wrong direction.
“At this point, support, or lack thereof, for Murphy is more of a gut reaction. However, it’s notable that Murphy fares worse in the so-called ‘honeymoon period’ than Christie and Jon Corzine,” said Krista Jenkins, director of the FDU Poll and a professor of political science.