New Jersey voters give Gov. Christopher Christie a split 44 - 43 percent job approval rating and 44 percent describe him as a "leader," while 43 percent call him a "bully," according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Voters also say 52 - 38 he is "confrontational," rather than "honest and refreshing."
A total of 75 percent of New Jersey voters are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with life in the Garden State, the worst satisfaction rating ever in New Jersey, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.
Gov. Christie's split approval rating is higher than for any other elected leader in the state except President Barack Obama, who gets a 50 - 46 percent approval rating. Voters disapprove of other leaders: •62 - 19 percent of the way the State Legislature is handling its job; •43 - 32 percent of the job their local state assembly member is doing; •44 - 40 percent of the job their local state senator is doing; •47 - 40 percent of the job U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg is doing, his worst score ever; •43 - 38 percent of the job U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez is doing, his highest disapproval ever.
"Like him or not, it's clear Gov. Christopher Christie has brought a New Jersey bounce to the Governor's office. A leader (hurrah) or a bully (boo, hiss)? We're divided about the Gov. Men sort of like his feisty attitude; women sort of don't," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
"Republicans like Christie a lot, Democrats dislike him a lot and the result is a job- approval split. More voters find Christie confrontational than honest and refreshing. Is that good or bad? New Jersey is a confrontational place."
New Jersey voters oppose many of Christie's ideas for balancing the state budget: •53 - 41 percent against layoffs for 1,300 state workers; •76 - 16 percent against closing state psychiatric institutions; •61 - 35 percent against an $820 million cut in aid to public schools; •55 - 39 percent against cutting state aid to towns and cities.
Voters do support 53 - 43 percent suspending until May 2011 a property tax rebate, but voters say 61 - 33 percent that Christie should have signed a bill to increase taxes on millionaires.
Christie's proposed constitutional amendment to limit property tax hikes to 2.5 percent wins 67 - 25 percent support from voters. His proposal to limit salary increase for public employees such as police and teachers to 2.5 percent is a "good idea," voters say 60 - 33 percent.
"Almost none of the deficit-cutting things that have been talked about - except the millionaire's tax that Christie vetoed - win much support," Carroll said.
Attitudes on Teachers, State Supreme Court
New Jersey voters like their teachers 56 - 26 percent, but by a 50 - 24 percent margin they have a negative opinion of the teachers' union. Voters with children in public school like their teachers 65 - 23 percent, but dislike the teachers' union 53 - 22 percent. While 45 percent trust the union more to make the right decisions about teacher contracts, 43 percent trust Christie more.
Teachers' unions are doing the wrong thing in refusing to freeze wages or make other concessions, voters say 64 - 29 percent. Voters oppose 65 - 31 percent property tax increases to avoid cutting teachers and school programs in their district.
"Voters like their kids' teachers but they sure don't like the teachers' union. Voters with kids in school like their teachers more and like the union even less," Carroll said.
Christie's intention to change the "historically liberal" State Supreme Court is a bad idea, voters say 47 - 41 percent. Voters disagree 36 - 29 percent with his decision not to reappoint Justice John E. Wallace to the court, with 35 percent undecided. Voters also say 41 - 31 percent that Christie's refusal to reappoint Wallace is interfering with the judiciary rather than restoring balance.
From June 10 - 15, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,461 New Jersey voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points.
