Trump has 48%-46% approvals in New Jersey

For the first time, President Donald Trump’s favorables among New Jersey voters is higher than his unfavorables, 48%-46%, according to an Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill poll released today

Phil Murphy, a term-limited Democrat in his eighth year as governor, has a 44%-42% approval rating.

“Governor Murphy is eight points more popular among women than men, 48% to 40%. The Governor has a 75% favorable rating among Democratic voters, dropping to 27% of independents and 14% of Republicans,” said Spencer Kimball, Emerson College Polling director.

In one of Murphy’s State of the State initiatives, 64% of voters support his plan to ban cellphones in public school classrooms, with 21% opposed to the plan.

The poll appears to under-sample independents, who make up 37% of the statewide electorate.

According to the poll, 58% of New Jerseyans oppose New York’s congestion pricing plan, with 37% supporting it; just 6% of voters support it strongly.  Republicans (64%) and independents (66%) oppose congestion pricing more firmly than Democrats (48%).

Nearly three-quarters of the state (74%) back a state-mandated free kindergarten program for public and charter schools.   Free kindergarten polls best among Democrats at 86%; 67% of Republicans and 62% of independents back it.

Trump came within six percentage points of carrying New Jersey in 2024, the best showing of a Republican presidential candidate since 2004.

Former President Joe Biden leaves office with approvals of 40%-53%.

The poll was conducted between January 18-21, with a sample size of with a sample size of 1,000, registered voters, including 437 Democratic primary voters and 334 Republican primary voters. The margin of error is +/-3%.