(Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Public Policy Polling (7/15-18, New Jersey voters,
1/6-9 in parens):
Barack Obama (D): 56 (55)
Chris Christie (R): 39 (38)
It's not exactly a shock that President Obama would lead a potential Republican rival in New Jersey—he won the state by more than 15 points in 2008 and the last time New Jersey went for a Republican was in 1988.
But Chris Christie isn't just any old Republican: he's supposedly one of their great big hopes for winning the presidency in 2012. And he can't even carry his home state.
Obama was leading Christie by the same margin in January, but the fact that Chris Christie's job approval is tanking can't help:
Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Chris Christie’s job performance?
Approve: 43 (48)
Disapprove: 53 (45)
I guess it turns out that being an asshole bully doesn't win you as many friends as Republicans may have once dreamed.