New Polling Analysis: “Honesty” is @GovChristie’s Best “Policy”

Let’s briefly review the core findings contained in today’s new Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) poll results (pdf), Save Jerseyans:

  • 55% of registered voters polled approve of the Governor’s job performance
  • 49% believe that aforementioned job performance is “excellent” or “good.”
  • 47% believe he’s primarily interested in governing; 41% say he’s mostly interested in higher office.
  • 58% have “seen” one of his townhall meetings
  • 36% of registered voters like Chris Christie and his policies.
  • 29% don’t like him or his policies.
  • 14% like him but dislike his policies.
  • 14% dislike him while liking his policies.

Said another way, exactly 50% of the state likes Chris Christie regardless of their opinion of his policy decisions/stances, while 43% (with some crossover, which is a little weird) don’t like his policies. And this is all based on calculated Christie-saturation; more New Jerseyans have interacted with this particular Governor passively (through social medial or news reports) or actively (in person, via his robust constituent services operation or going to a town hall) than any other elected leader in state history.

Krista Jenkins, Executive Director of PublicMind and a FDU professor of political science, nevertheless appeared to struggle with what, exactly, these results tell us about the Governor:

He’s a complicated guy,” said Jenkins, “so trying to understand whether his high marks with the public come from his policies or personality is tough.” As Jenkins points out, those who are divided over his personality and policy positions represent a sizable chunk of the electorate-and one that offers insight into where Christie’s overall support lies. “Whether he’s getting the support of those who like his policy positions or personality will remain a debate. Both are important for understanding Governor Christie’s support.”

I understand it well enough, Save Jerseyans: voters think he’s honest.

Or at least a solid majority do.

After years of suffering slime like Jim “Rest Stop” McGreevey and Jon “MF’n Global” Corzine, Chris Christie is a breath of fresh air for Garden State residents. Do we agree with everything he does or says? Or how he chooses to say it? No, I’d expect not. There’s no such thing as total and complete accord in politics. But most folks believe that HE believes what he says, and that’s a huge improvement for our “Soprano State.” Nothing about the man feels plastic, slippery or less-than-genuine. People think he’s the real deal.

So Chris Christie’s popularity is, at the end of the day, not very complicated at all to this blogger. Nor is it really surprising unless you’re blinded by partisan rage…

Honesty IS Chris Christie’s best policy.

55% can’t be wrong… that’s enough to grant him another term.

 

Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8405 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

2 Comments

  1. I am sorry I voted for the Gov, because he has let me down in my hour of need. It wouldn't upset me as much if he wasn't poaching my pension to fatten the purses of his cronies, and screw over the middle class here in NJ.

    I taught 24 years, and had to retire disabled July 2010. One of the disabilities that forced my retirement was caused by a STILL- unresolved Workers Comp suit (I recently fired my attorney, and have a new one who said, after reading the packet of materials, that the case should have settled in six months).

    I was REPEATEDLY denied my retirement by TPAF despite the fact that I started the process with three letters from treating doctors, and now I am up to 10 doctors and still counting, (NOT included are the THREE IMEs taxpayers needlessly paid for) a 3 foot thick pile of medical records sits on the desk of the Administrative Court judge who should be delivering my pension with a bow on top any day now, if we lived in a "perfect" world….

    Up until my case went to the judge, I was repeatedly told by TPAF I “wasn’t disabled enough” to retire. So, can ANYONE please tell me how these perfectly healthy people in their 40s who are the Gov's pals can just say, “I retire! Give me my pension!” and they not only immediately get it, but can still work another job and get an ever bigger paycheck on TOP of the pension.

    To be THAT young and collecting a pension, it would have to be a disability. Teachers cannot collect a pension until age 55 for early retirement (I am Tier 1). Has anyone checked into what kind of pensions these "dippers" have that allow for such early retirements?

    BY THE WAY—I finally am “disabled” enough–I was diagnosed with carcinosarcoma in late June. But I STILL have to wait for my pension- while these thieves (or, perhaps one of their cronies, don't want to be TOO conspicuous) just have to make a phone call.

    Finally, I called Governor Christie’s office yesterday to question why this process is taking so long when I am seriously ill, and have met and exceeded my burden of proof that I am 100% disabled.

    I learned many things– first, if you email the Governor through his site, you have an almost 100% chance of having your correspondence deleted, and read by no-one. Send it CERTIFIED MAIL, and keep a copy.

    Secondly, I spoke to one of his aides named Lisa. (she claimed I had NOT sent any email letters, they weren’t on her computer screen) She was unable to tell me who oversaw the State Pension Funds. (HOW did she get this job?) When I pressed for an answer, she rebuffed me with a “You have a lawyer. If he is any good he will know who is in charge!” AFTER SHE INSULTED MY ATTORNEY, she promised to look into my situation…I called back and she never did–she had spent the entire afternoon at a luncheon. She hung up on me, and has never called back.

    What I was just told by my attorney (who really is an attorney, not some lackey) is that the pensions are basically self-governed by a “board” (in the case of TPAF, they are alumni of Clown College, with IQs of garden vegetables), but there really IS no-one “overseeing” their actions! He supposed that the Governor oversaw the Pension Funds (as I did) which maybe is a situation that someone from the Office of the Comptroller or the State Attorney General needs to step in and change. You have put the King and Queen of the Pork Barrel in charge of the Pension Fund trough, and those of us whose labors put the food there are watching as we cannot collect our fair share–but they and their boars get double and triple portions.

    In concluding, I want the pension, insurance and benefits I have worked for. It is the job of the governor's office to make sure those of us who are disabled workers who have served our cities for many decades get what we deserve. I expect an immediate response, and instatement of my disability pension.

  2. Jason: Republicans do not hate state workers. What we hate is the dtomuenced and well-known fact that many state agencies are not run efficiently. One can easily witness this by watching any DOT crew fix a road. One does the work, twenty guys lean on shovels. What most Republicans want is more efficiency. What most governments clamor for is more money without regards to efficiency. Private business does nothave this problem if it did, competition would pu tit out of business. Private business cannot just raise prices when it needs more money without reagrd to comeptitive pricing. Government can just raise taxes and the sheeple who believe government solves everything will just go along with it.As to the state pension it has never been raided to pay for anything. Federal law prevents that. Social Security that's another story. Politicans of both parties have used SSI as a bank account for pork for many years.

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