Elections

New Jersey voters ‘have nothing good to say’ about a Christie White House bid

By David Lightman - McClatchy Washington Bureau

January 22, 2015 08:53 AM

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday refused to tip his hand on whether New Jersey will set up a federally mandated health insurance exchange or let the federal government handle it for the state.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday refused to tip his hand on whether New Jersey will set up a federally mandated health insurance exchange or let the federal government handle it for the state. AP
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday refused to tip his hand on whether New Jersey will set up a federally mandated health insurance exchange or let the federal government handle it for the state. AP

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie may be considering a presidential bid, but he’s having a hard time convincting voters in his state that’s a good idea, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.

“Garden State voters have nothing good to say about a Christie run for president,” a new Quinnipiac analysis said Thursday.

By 52 to 41 percent, they said a 2016 campaign is distracting him from his duties as governor. The poll was taken January 15 to 19.

By a 56 to 40 percent margin, they say he shouldn’t run for president, and they overwhelmingly think he wouldn’t make a good president.

If he does run, quit, the voters say – by a 66 to 31 percent majority.

Should he get the Republican nomination, New Jersey would probably go for the Democrat if former New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is the nominee.

She has a 52 to 39 percent lead over Christie in a general election matchup.

One bit of good news for Christie, sort of: He leads the state primary field, though with 24 percent. 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney is second at 18 percent.

  Comments