N.J. Governor’s race tied, conservative pollster says

Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli are tied, 44%-44%, in a new Neighborhood Research and Media poll.

“The contest is an ideological battle.  Sherrill leads 86%-8% among the 26% of voters who consider themselves liberals,” Shaftan said.  “But Ciattarelli leads 84%-10% with the 32% who describe as conservative.”

The poll has Ciattarelli leading 49%-30% among unaffiliated voters and independents, but Sherrill has a 46%-35% lead among the 40% of voters who consider themselves moderate.

Sherrill has a 74%-10-% lead among those who believe New Jersey is headed in the right direction. Ciattarelli is ahead, 69%-21%, among the 49% of the state’s voters who think its headed in the wrong direction.

The Neighborhood Research and Media poll is run by Rick Shaftan, a conservative political consultant who had a B/C grade from FiveThirtyEight, but with 0% reverted bias.  Shaftan said he oversampled Democrats, 48%-34%, with the actual registration numbers at 38%-25%.

The poll was conducted between October 6-9 with a sample size of 311 and a margin of error of +/-5.6%.  The survey was conducted via landlines and cell phones, including only definite or very likely voters who were familiar with both candidates.