The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in New Jersey shows Senator Frank Lautenberg has a large lead in the Garden State’s Democratic Senate Primary.

On the first step in his bid for re-election, the incumbent earns support from 49% of New Jersey Democratic primary voters. State Representative Rob Andrews is favored by 19%, and Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello earns the vote from 7%. Another 25% are not sure.

Lautenberg is viewed favorably by 71% of primary voters and unfavorably by 21%. The other candidates are less known to voters. Andrews’ numbers are 47% favorable, 24% unfavorable and 29% not sure. For Cresitello, those ratings are 27% favorable, 25% unfavorable, and 47% are not sure.

Over half of politically moderate Primary Voters (57%) say they would choose Lautenberg. Fifty-two percent of politically liberal voters would do the same.

Among independent voters choosing to participate, 34% choose Lautenberg, while 19% would vote for Andrews. Lautenberg earns the support from over half (53%) of Democrats.

Although Lautenberg is now 84 years old, over half of New Jersey primary voters (58%) do not think he is too old to serve another term in Senate. Thirty-percent (30%) disagree and think he is too old. Voters under 30 are fairly evenly divided on this question while older voters say Lautenberg’s age is not an issue.

When matched against two potential Republican candidates in the Senate election, Lautenberg enjoys wide leads in the Garden State.

New Jersey’s Democratic Governor, Jon Corzine, earns good or excellent ratings from just 40% of Democratic Primary Voters. Twenty-nine percent (29%) give him a poor rating.

Garden State Primary voters are evenly divided on the question of whether Barack Obama should add Hillary Clinton to the national ticket as his running mate. Forty-one percent (41%) believe Clinton should be the Vice-Presidential nominee while 43% disagree.

Sixty-five percent (65%) of Democratic Primary voters in New Jersey say they are at least somewhat likely to vote for Barack Obama against John McCain in November. Nationally, McCain and Obama are very competitive in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

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