Could Christie Be President? FDU Poll Looks Good for the Gov.
He still comes in behind Obama—but then again, he's not running.
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It's not clear he'd beat President Barack Obama, but New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie comes closer than most other potential Republican presidential candidates in hypothetical 2012 matchups, according to a new national poll of registered voters by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind polling center.
Obama easily bests Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin by a 20-point margin, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty by 14 points, and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich by 15 points, according to the poll.
But the Jersey guy is closing in.
The first-term governor polls at just 6 points behind Obama—46 to 40 percent.
“People do not see New Jersey as typical of America, though it is," said Peter Woolley, a political scientist and director of the poll. "And they don’t see New Jersey problems as typical of America, though they are. And Christie is very New Jersey.”
But Christie's got competition in the Republican field. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee polls dead even to the president, with each getting a predicted 46 percent of vote. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney matches up to Obama at 44 to 43 percent, according to the poll.
“Huckabee and Romney have a huge advantage since they’ve run before for the presidency and are more familiar to voters than Christie,” Woolley said.
But before he could run for president, Christie would need the Republican nomination. Among Republicans polled, 10 percent pick Christie first for the nomination. For the rest of the field, it's Pawlenty at 5 percent, Gingrich at 10 percent, Palin at 12 percent, Romney at 20 percent and Huckabee at 21 percent.
“Christie has now, without running, the kind of support among Republicans that some others have taken years to cultivate,” Woolley said.
Among independent voters, Christie's favored over the president, 43 to 40 percent.
“I know Christie is not running for president,” Woolley said. “But because New Jersey’s fiscal problems are a reflection of the nation’s fiscal problems, it is well worth testing his national appeal.”
The Fairleigh Dickinson University poll of 800 registered voters nationwide was conducted by telephone using both landlines and cell phones from March 21, 2011, through March 28, 2011, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
patricia hess
12:02 am on Friday, April 1, 2011
Christie is "very New Jersey"? That's like saying Musellini was "very Italy"! So, if we follow the logic here, which makes just about as much sense as this article, Christie is very Musellini, which he is. Check his "body language". listen to his "dictator" rhetoric, and you have "Il Duce" reborn! Anybody who would vote for this guy as president should also remember what Musellini did to his country-Christie would do the same-destroy it! You people are nuts if you think he would make a good president!
NJ Bullet
9:51 am on Friday, April 1, 2011
So shall we assume that you are a school teacher, state employee and/or union member?
Fiana Muhlberger
2:03 pm on Friday, April 1, 2011
I'm not a union member or a teacher, because if I was at least I'd be paid an actual livable wage and have health insurance that didn't make me broke. But regardless, this article is ridiculous. Christie would make a terrible president. I hope he never runs, and that the Republicans don't prove stupid enough to endorse him as a Presidential Candidate. He's hardly satisfactory as governor. Anyone who believes unions and pensions for the middle class are destroying America's budget is extremely misguided--it's from the stealing and corruption of the people at the top--the people who hold public office and spend tax payer money on limos for their wives to go shopping in NYC or private jet rides for a particular haircut. Hopefully the rest of the nation has more sense than to put Christie in any kind of public service position of power like we in NJ were. I'm sure this poll of 800 registered voters throughout the nation is extremely indicative of the political passion people possess for Christie. That would be sarcasm, but I'm sure you already knew that.
The Morristown TEA Party
6:23 pm on Saturday, April 2, 2011
Your position is so misguided it is astounding!! Yes, 4 more years of tax and spend from the multi-millionaire Corzine would have been great as he pushed us further toward bankruptcy. Maybe driving another $70 Billion of wealth out of the state would have helped create jobs and a tax base here too. (That would also be sarcasm.) You want affordable health insurance and a livable wage? Then vote for conservatives candidates and give them 40 years in control of the House and Senate to fix what the liberal democrats and RINO's created. If you want "free" health insuracne you can go to Canada. But don't really get sick, casue then you have to wait for healthcare or come back to the US and pay. Or you could go to Cuba. But you'd have to prostitute yourself to make a "livable wage". Or you could try Greece or Europe? But they're broke too. Socialism is a FAILURE whereever it is tried. And it must be all those limos for the people at the top casuing the financial mess. Right... It can't be that the tens of thousands of union workers who get lifetime pensions and "free" healthcare. Check the costs. It is a state ctrated PONZI scheme. And the house of cards is collapsing now.
LV Moved
8:28 am on Sunday, April 3, 2011
Anti Christie people posting for the first time. Makes you wonder!
mayfairwitch1
11:06 am on Monday, April 4, 2011
So far as governer he hasn't done to bad, that said I don't think he's ready for the oval office.
He leaves lot to be desired as far as foreign policy and that in your face finger pointing isn't going to cut it on the world stage.
IMHO if the repubs don't shake up something better than what they have we are doomed to another 4 years of Obama.
Palin is a nut case and when she first hit the scene I liked her!!
I was hoping the repubs groomed Gov Bobby Jindal of Louisiana as a nominee but doesn't look like that's happeneing...we are just doomed...but who in their right mind would want the job of President in these trying times.
JoeyBananas
8:50 am on Monday, June 27, 2011
A disaster in NJ. In the oval office, he would be a Global Disaster.
No, GOD no.