Public Polling Update: Right Direction Wrong Direction

It's now September and as you can see people are starting to wake up. The polls are moving in Barbara Buono's direction....

The Fairleigh Dickinson poll results released September 3rd, 2013 underline Governor Chris Christie's fading popularity. Christie's approval rating mirrors the "direction of the state"; voters who feel that the state is heading in the wrong direction also disapprove of the Governor. A plurality of voters felt that New Jersey was moving in the wrong direction throughout 2010, 2011, and the beginning of 2012. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, optimism about the state's direction – and Governor Christie's performance – spiked upwards, peaking in late November, 2012. Since then, voters have progressively expressed more and more dissatisfaction with the direction of the state and the Governor's performance.  Fewer than half of New Jersey voters think the state is moving in the right direction, and this figure, like Christie's approval rating, is trending downwards. It's no surprise that New Jerseyans feel the state is going in the wrong direction when you look at the consequences of Governor Christie's policies. 400,000 people are still looking for work, property taxes have increased 20 percent and he is wildly out of touch when it comes to reducing gun violence and marriage equality. Whether it is about social justice, economic fairness or public safety, the Governor has been wrong for New Jersey's families and they cannot afford another four years of the same failed leadership. Public Poll Summary This new information comes on the heels of two polls performed in the last ten days of August showing the race for Governor is tightening. The Farleigh Dickinson poll released August 29, 2013 offers more good news for the Buono campaign. The gubernatorial election continues to tighten at a steady pace – in Farleigh Dickinson polling alone, the margin has shrunk from 43 points in January, to 36 points in March, to 30 points in June, to 24 points today. Chris Christie's vote share has dropped from 64 percent to 50 percent, and shows no signs of slowing. The Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press poll signals strong positive movement for Barbara Buono and a tightening race. The margin in the gubernatorial horse race is the smallest margin we have seen to date. There seems to be significant movement both away from Christie and toward Buono. Christie receives his lowest vote share in any public poll since Hurricane Sandy. His favorability rating has dropped 16 points since June in public polling, and his unfavorable rating is rising steadily. The main challenge for Buono at this stage is, accordingly, to further increase her name recognition. The farther she can spread her message, the closer this race will get.