Murphy approvals at 45%-37% in new FDU poll

Gov. Phil Murphy has approval ratings of 45%-37%, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released this morning.

The poll surveys adults, which is a less significant sample than likely voters and registered voters.

Murphy is at 63%-16% among Democrats, and at 37%-42% among independents.  He’s at 46%-32% among women and 43%-42% among men.

Nearly half (47%) say New Jersey is headed in the right direction, while 42% say it’s on the wrong track.

Democratic Assembly candidates have a 42%-29% edge on a generic ballot, with 18% saying they will split their vote among candidates of both parties.  The statewide numbers do not reflect specific ballot-tests in six battleground legislative districts.

Those numbers are for self-identified likely voters, although it is a sub-set of adults, not necessarily registered voters.

President Donald Trump is unlikely to have an effect on the Assembly races, according to the poll.

“November’s election is a pretty low information contest, which means party identification is likely to drive those rare few who actually turn out to vote,” said Krista Jenkins, the poll’s director and a professor of politics and government at FDU. “Democrats have the edge among women and non-whites, while Republicans appeal more to men and white voters.”

Jenkins said that New Jersey has elections in off years to keep voters’ minds on more local issues.

“Although that is increasingly hard to do these days, New Jersey voters don’t appear to be swayed by their feelings regarding the president and his troubles that is defining so much of our discourse,” said Jenkins.