(CNN) - With two months until election day, two new polls in New Jersey indicate that Republican challenger Chris Christie maintains the edge over Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine in the Garden State's gubernatorial battle.
A Quinnipiac University survey released Tuesday morning suggests that Corzine, who's fighting for a second term, trails Christie, the former federal prosecutor for New Jersey, by 10 points - 47 percent to 37 percent - with 9 percent of New Jersey likely voters questioned backing Independent candidate Chris Daggett and six percent undecided.
Christie's lead is up four points from a Quinnipiac poll conducted in early August.
A Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind survey also released Tuesday morning indicates that Christie holds a 5 point lead over Corzine, 47 percent to 42 percent, in a two-person race, with 6 percent unsure. Christie was ahead by 6 points in Fairleigh Dickinson's last poll, conducted in July.
Both surveys suggest that Christie's support among Republican voters is slightly stronger than Corzine's backing by Democrats, and both polls indicate that the Republican has a double-digit advantage among independent voters.
Christie is trying to become the first Republican to win statewide office in New Jersey since then-governor Christie Todd Whitman won re-election in 1997.
"The Republican appears to be in pretty good shape headed into Labor Day," says Peter Woolley, director of the Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind poll. "The question is whether he has peaked while Corzine still has voters to win over."
According to the Quinnipiac University survey, a recent string of negative ads by the Corzine campaign that attack Christie may be backfiring. Of the more than three-quarters of people questioned who have seen Corzine ads criticizing Christie for giving contracts to people with ties to former President George W. Bush, 56 percent say the ads are an unfair attack, while 36 percent say they are a legitimate campaign issue.
"The Democratic attacks about Christie's loan to his former co-worker score a little higher," says Quinnipiac University Polling Director Maurice Carroll. "Christie gets a split on his ads criticizing Corzine for failing to protect New Jersey against the economic downturn."
But both polls do indicate a 10 point rise in Christie's unfavorable rating from July.
The Quinnipiac University survey was conducted August 25-30, with 1,612 New Jersey likely voters questioned by telephone. The poll's sampling error is plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
The Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind survey was conducted August 24-30, with 715 New Jersey likely voters questioned by telephone. The poll's sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states holding gubernatorial contests this November. In Virginia, Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds, a state senator, trails Republican candidate Bob McDonnell, the former state attorney general, in recent polls. Virginia's Democratic incumbent governor, Tim Kaine, is term limited and can't run for re-election.
While both gubernatorial contests focus on state issues and the strengths of the candidates, since both seats are currently held by Democrats, national Republicans would like to make both races a referendum on President Barack Obama and his party.
From CNN Politics
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New Jersey cannot afford another term of Corzine's incompetence.
I wouldn't trust either of those creeps to run to the store to buy my elderly, feeble grandmother who can't leave her bedroom a pack of smokes.
Quite frankly, either way, New Jersey loses. The Garbage State is FUBAR.
Corzine is a political hack. Drones like him need to be removed. What a Dem. butt boy.
Change is finally coming to NJ. Real Change in NJ starts with CHANGING GOVERNORS. I can not wait to say by to Corslime and his cronies. NJ will rid itself of its association with the phrase the Soprano State.
BYE BYE CORSLIME!
2 dems going down this year. A bunch to follow in 2010. And in 2012, that trend will make its way all the way to the white house! YEAAAAAAAAAAARGHHH!!!!!!!
Thank GOD. NJ needs to be rid of Corzine and his union cronies. They've destroyed out state and now Christie must clean it up. I don't give a crap about a loan or speeding tickets. Corzine is grasping at straws and won't even debate Christie and Lonergan. If Christie is smart he will welcome Lonergan to a substantial post in his administration to ensure victory. Goodbye Jon. Maybe Goldman Sachs will take you back, OOPS NO. Maybe Carla Katz and her union buddies will take you back, OOPS NO they won't even take Carla back.
It'll be good to stop seeing nepotism in the state of NJ finally.
EVERYONE IN NJ NEEDS TO VOTE FOR CHRISTIE IN NOVEMBER!!
I didn't know the Christie guy looked like a generic Tony Soprano with hair. I'd choose Corzine over this guy any day of the week.
This is the start of the beginning of the end for the far-lefty libs. Bye, bye Jonny boy!
vote ALL incumbents out of office and does not matter which party gets elected in – good job New Jersey!!!
I voted for barack obama but this time i plan to vote for christie. I'm doing it for the same reason that i voted against mccain, the government has forgotten who they work for. they work for me, not corrupt lobbyists or interest groups.
Maybe Jon can go back to Goldman Sachs and get a bigger bonus. This guy has made NJ almost as much as a national joke as NY. Say goodnight Jon.
CORZINE is a proven crook. Can't say Christie is the best thing since sliced bread, but it's time to give him a shot over the corrupt CORZINE.
Anyone who tries to tie this to Obama, simply don't know NJ politics.
This is all about NJ residents sick and tired of paying among the highest property taxes [mostly due to their layers and layers of redundant gov'ts], and politicians [both Republican and Democrat] who promise to cut them, but never due because they are all so entrenched with pay to play policits.
Sorry, but I doubt Christie will get re-elected in 4 years for the same reasons.
dems losing everywhere........and Obozo has slipped under 50% approval.......2010 is a left wing blood bath.......sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
If New Jersey is "anything" like Chicago, Corzine will find enough dead people, dogs and illegals to pull out a victory
Let's see if this loser Corzine spend another $60 million of his own inherited wealth to "serve the public" .
get used to it LIBS
more is on the way!
Corzine is losing because he is an idiot. What a lame try of traffic tickets..........
Lame!
It is simple math: residents of New Jersey are being crushed by taxes. Also, the fact that so many Democrat politicians have been arrested in the last few months doesn't help. Corzine, a supposed Wall Street whiz, has done nothing to curb out-ou-control state spending.
Even with Corzine running nothing but slimy attack ads accusing Cristy of corruption, he is losing ground. New Jersey just arrested and charged 30 or more democrat officials in one of the largest corruption investigations in history, and they call Cristy corrupt? It would be laughable it it wasn't so sad. This is just the beginning, there will be a wave of Dem losses in the 2010 elections country wide.
Look for the Dems to panic, the attacks will be vicious and their true colors will come out.
This is all about property tax in NJ. nothing else
Yes, let's put more Republicans back in office so they can spend us into oblivion on war, spying on Americans, and creating a Taliban-like gov't run by heathens in religious garb. BRING BACK McCarthyism!!! It worked so well....didn't it?
This is what Republican fear mongering gets. Stupid people to believe their lies.
Corzine. Almost as big a joke as Frankin.