New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is campaigning for re-election in a very difficult political environment.

Just four percent (4%) of New Jersey voters rate the economy as good or excellent while 65% say it’s in poor shape. Twenty-three percent (23%) say things are getting better, but 47% say they are getting worse. Nationally, consumer confidence has declined since last week’s jobs report showing the highest level of unemployment since 1983 and is now at the lowest level in more than three months.

Voters in the Garden State are also skeptical about the stimulus plan enacted by President Obama and Congress earlier this year. Just 26% say it has helped the economy while 30% say it has hurt and 39% say it’s had no impact. These figures are similar to the reaction nationwide.

New Jersey voters are dubious, too, about government ownership of General Motors. Eighty-two percent (82%) say the government should sell its interest as soon as possible including 58% who support a requirement forcing the government to sell within a year. Again, the Garden State numbers are consistent with the national mood.

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This challenging economic environment is difficult for all incumbents and one reason Corzine trails Republican challenger Chris Christie in the polls.

Still, Obama is popular in the state: 55% approve of the way he’s doing his job as president while 44% disapprove. Forty-seven percent (47%) of New Jersey voters believe a campaign visit from the president will help Corzine while only 19% believe it will hurt.

Obama does even better among the 42% of voters who have not fully made up their minds who they're going to vote for in November. Among these voters, 61% give the president their approval. That figure includes 38% who Strongly Approve. Twenty-seven percent (27%) of the swayable voters Strongly Disapprove.

Among those swayable voters, just three percent (3%) have a Very Favorable opinion of Corzine while 32% have a Very Unfavorable view. For Christie, the comparable numbers are four percent (4%) Very Favorable and 16% Very Unfavorable.

Christie has the edge on Corzine as the candidate voters trust when it comes to the issues of taxes, government spending and corruption. That is true among both those who have already made their final voting decision and those who could change their mind.

Half (49%) of New Jersey voters are aware that the state has recently offered a tax amnesty program. Voters statewide are evenly divided as to whether tax amnesty is a good idea or if it unfairly helps tax cheats. Most (58%) say that funds collected from the amnesty program should be used for property tax relief.

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