NJ Poll: Three-Out-Of-Four Voters Back Christie

New Jersey voters today continue Gov. Christopher Christie's record-breaking 74 - 22 percent approval rating, the highest of any New Jersey governor in 17 years of Quinnipiac University surveys. Voters also say 71 - 23 percent that Gov. Christie deserves reelection this year. Christie's job score is currently the highest of any governor in the seven states surveyed by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. Democrats approve of the Republican governor 56 - 38 percent and say 48 - 43 percent he deserves reelection. Christie leads his likely Democratic challenger, State Sen. Barbara Buono 62 - 25 percent, including 54 - 31 percent among women and 71 - 18 percent among men. Backing the governor are Republicans, 93 - 4 percent, and independent voters, 68 - 18 percent, while Democrats back Buono by a mediocre 51 - 31 percent. "How high is up? New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie keeps soaring. Most governors would kill for a 56 percent job approval rating. Republican Gov. Christie gets that from Democrats!" said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "State Sen. Barbara Buono is going to have to introduce herself to voters; no one knows her and Christie clobbers her." New Jersey voters give Christie a 69 - 22 percent favorability rating, including 47 - 38 percent among Democrats. For Buono, 83 percent don't know enough about her to form an opinion. Having Buono at the top of the ticket will be bad for other Democratic candidates this year, 13 percent of voters say, while 8 percent say good and 77 percent offer no opinion. But New Jersey voters say 47 - 40 percent that they want Democrats rather than Republicans to control the State Legislature. "Coattails? The crystal ball is cloudy. Some voters think Buono would be a drag on Democratic candidates for the legislature," Carroll said. Click here to read more.