Quinnipiac: NJ Approves of Christie, Divided On Obama

By Art Gallagher

A Quinnipiac poll released this morning indicates that a majority of New Jersey voters approve of the job that Governor Chris Christie is doing. The same poll indicated that for the first time since his inauguration, President Barack Obama does not enjoy majority approval in New Jersey.

Christie's job approval rating is positive 51%-36%. Obama's is 49%-49%.

Count me among those who strongly approve of Christie's performance, despite Paul Mulshine's attempt to put my support of the Governor in the past tense.

I'm very disappointed with Christie stance on the Ground Zero mosque. I strongly approve of Howard Dean's position and Senator Harry Reid's position on the mosque. That doesn't mean I don't support Christie or that Dean and Reid have suddenly become conservative.

I am pleased to see politicians from "both teams" coming out against the location of the Cordoba House mosque. It increases the likelihood that it won't be built in Lower Manhattan.

For those who do not want the mosque to be an issue in this fall's congressional elections there is an easy solution. Arrange for the "moderate" Muslim developer to take NY Governor Patterson up on his land swap proposal before Labor Day.

Back to the poll. Christie's numbers and Obama's numbers are an indication that there is a real potential for New Jersey's House of Representatives delegation to be a GOP majority delegation in the next congress for the first time since the 88th Congress which was elected in 1962. The GOP need three seats.

Runyan, Sipprelle and Little can win. Christie can make it happen.