Gov. Chris Christie’s Favorability in New Jersey Is on the Rise - East Idaho News
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Gov. Chris Christie’s Favorability in New Jersey Is on the Rise

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GETTY P 010912 RomneyChristieNH?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1339552389911Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose name is mentioned most often these days as a potential VP candidate on the Republican ticket, is gaining in popularity in his home state. A new Rutgers-Eagleton poll out Tuesday reveals he is more popular than he has ever been since taking office in January 2010.

Half of New Jersey voters say they have a favorable view of the veepstakes contender, up four percentage points since March. Garden State voters with an unfavorable opinion of Christie declined to 39 percent, while 11 percent have no opinion of the tough-talking governor. August of last year was the governor’s low point, with 47 percent viewing him unfavorably and 45 percent favorably.

More good news from the latest poll: Just over half of voters now say New Jersey is going in the right direction, also up four points. Those who believe the state is going in the “wrong direction” remained at 40 percent in the survey while nine percent were unsure.

“After some weakening between November and March, Governor Christie’s favorability rating has rebounded to as positive as we’ve seen,” poll director David Redlawsk, a professor of political science at Rutgers, said in a statement. “Despite recent controversies over plans for Rutgers and less-than-positive economic news, voters are trending toward more positive ratings for the governor and the state. But more improvement will probably require more voters to think things are getting better, not just standing still.”

Despite some back and forth on whether he is interested in the job, Christie has said he’s “not looking to become vice president.” But he also said the presumptive GOP nominee “might be able to convince me.”  However, the better Christie polls in his state, the less likely he is to want to join the ticket. With these poll numbers, his 2013 re-election battle could be an easy one.

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