Toplines - New Jersey Governor - July 7, 2009

New Jersey Survey of 500 Likely Voters

Conducted July 7, 2009

By Rasmussen Reports

1* How would you rate the job Barack Obama has been doing as President… do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job he’s been doing?

39% Strongly approve

16% Somewhat approve

10% Somewhat disapprove

34% Strongly disapprove

1% Not sure

2* How would you rate the job Jon Corzine has been doing as Governor… do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the job he’s been doing?

16% Strongly approve

24% Somewhat approve

14% Somewhat disapprove

44% Strongly disapprove

1% Not sure

3* In thinking about the 2009 election for New Jersey governor, if the election were held today would you vote for Republican Chris Christie or Democrat Jon Corzine?

Candidate	Without Leaners	With Leaners
Chris Christie	46%	53%
Jon Corzine	39%	41%
Some other candidate	5%	2%
Not sure	10%	5%

4* I’m going to read you a short list of people in the News. For each, please let me know if you have a very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable impression.

Candidate	Very Favorable	Somewhat Favorable	Somewhat Unfavorable	Very Unfavorable	Not sure
Jon Corzine	17%	26%	16%	40%	1%
Chris Christie	12%	45%	18%	18%	6%

5* Which gubernatorial candidate do you trust more on taxes....Chris Christie or Jon Corzine?

55% Christie

32% Corzine

13% Not sure

6* Okay…which candidate do you trust more to cut government spending?

54% Christie

29% Corzine

18% Not sure

7* Fine…which candidate is more likely to crack down on government corruption…Chris Christie or Jon Corzine?

57% Christie

28% Corzine

15% Not sure

8* If Barack Obama campaigns for Jon Corzine in New Jersey this fall, will that help Corzine, hurt Corzine or have no impact?

47% Help
16% Hurt
32% No impact

5% Not sure

9* Has New Jersey recently offered a tax amnesty program to help collect back taxes?

49% Yes
11% No
39% Not sure

10* Generally speaking are tax amnesty programs a good idea or do they unfairly help tax cheats?

38% Good idea

37% Unfairly help tax cheats

24% Not sure

11* Governor Corzine announced that the state could collect up to $700 million in back taxes through the tax amnesty program. Should the money be spent for property tax relief, to aid schools and colleges, to expand healthcare for the poor or to repair roads and bridges?

57% Property tax relief

15% Aid schools and colleges

16% Expand healthcare for the poor

7% Repaid roads and bridges

3% Some other purpose

2% Not sure

12* Generally speaking, how would you rate the U.S. economy these days? Excellent, good, fair, or poor?

1% Excellent
3% Good
30% Fair
65% Poor
1% Not sure

13* Are economic conditions in the country getting better or worse?

23% Better
47% Worse
23% Staying the same
8% Not sure

14* Earlier this year, Congress and the president enacted a $787 billion economic stimulus plan. So far, has the economic stimulus plan helped the economy, hurt the economy or had no impact on the economy?

26% Help
30% Hurt
39% No impact

5% Not sure

15*The federal government is now the majority owner of General Motors and Chrysler. Should the government retain ownership of the auto companies for a long time or should the government sell them to private investors as soon as possible?

10% Government should retain ownership of the auto companies for a long time

82% Government should sell them to private investors as soon as possible

8% Not sure

16* A proposal has been made that would require the government to sell its interest in General Motors and Chrysler within one year. Do you favor or oppose requiring a sale of the auto companies within one year?

58% Favor
24% Oppose
18% Not sure

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence