A new poll finds that the race to the governor’s office in New Jersey is in a dead heat between the Republican and Democratic candidates.
The Emerson College poll found that 43% of respondents said they would vote for Republican Jack Ciattarelli, and the same percentage said they support Democrat Mikie Sherrill. The office is being vacated by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who is being termed out after serving eight years.
‘The major issue overwhelmingly guiding voters was the economy.’
Every prior poll in the race showed Sherrill ahead of Ciattarelli, who is a former assemblyman. The survey of 935 self-reported likely voters also found that 11% of respondents were undecided, and 3% said they were going to vote for a different candidate.
Spencer Kimball, the executive director of the poll, said that both candidates were trying to tie their opponents to politicians unpopular in New Jersey.
“Both President Trump and Governor Murphy are underwater among Jersey voters,” Kimball said. “Sherrill is trying to tie Ciattarelli to Trump at the national level, and Ciattarelli is trying to tie Sherrill to Murphy and the cost of living at the state level.”
The poll found that Murphy had a net approval rating of -9%, while Trump had a net rating of -10%. Overall, however, 41% of voters approved of Trump, while only 35% approved of Murphy.
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The major issue overwhelmingly guiding voters is the economy, according to 54% of respondents in the poll. The next important issue, threats to democracy, was reported by only 13% of respondents.
Emerson College polling is considered very reliable by the Media Bias/Fact Check website, which found that it had only a minor bias to the left.
A Quinnipiac poll showed Sherill beating Ciattarelli by 8%.
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