A new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll finds Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s approval largely unchanged, while 43% of residents say New Jersey is headed in the wrong direction.
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s approval rating is holding steady nine months into her first year in office, but a new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll shows more New Jersey residents believe the state is headed in the wrong direction than the right one.
The statewide survey found 44% of New Jersey adults approve of Sherrill’s performance as governor, 34% disapprove and 22% are unsure.
Her approval rating is virtually unchanged from March, although disapproval has climbed five points.
Sherrill Remains Net Positive
Thirty-nine percent of respondents have a favorable impression of Sherrill, compared with 31% who view her unfavorably.
Another 27% have no opinion of the governor, while 3% said they do not know who she is.
“Nine months into her term, Gov. Sherrill’s approval numbers look much like they did at 100 days, which in this political climate — and after a challenging summer — is itself an accomplishment,” said Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling.
Koning said a sizable group of residents still has not formed an opinion of the governor.
“But a quarter of residents still have no opinion of her almost a year in, and how those New Jerseyans eventually break will decide whether her net positive ratings hold,” Koning said.
43% Say New Jersey Is on the Wrong Track
The broader picture of how residents view the state is less positive.
Forty-three percent said New Jersey has gone “off on the wrong track,” compared with 37% who said the state is moving in the right direction.
Another 20% were unsure.
The split is heavily partisan.
Among Democrats, 53% said New Jersey is heading in the right direction while 22% said it is on the wrong track.
Among Republicans, just 14% said the state is moving in the right direction, while 78% said it is on the wrong track.
Independents were closer to the statewide numbers, with 35% saying right direction and 42% saying wrong track.
Shore Residents More Negative
The Shore region produced some of the poll’s most negative numbers on the direction of the state.
Fifty-five percent of Shore respondents said New Jersey is on the wrong track.
Just 32% said the state is headed in the right direction.
In the Philadelphia and South Jersey region, 50% said wrong track and 38% said right direction.
Sherrill Gets Strong Marks on Caldwell Scandal
Sherrill received much stronger ratings for her handling of the investigation involving former Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell.
Thirty-six percent said Sherrill handled the matter “very well,” while another 32% said “somewhat well.”
Nine percent said she did not handle it very well and 5% said not well at all.
Another 19% were unsure.
Among residents who expressed an opinion, 83% viewed Sherrill’s handling of the Caldwell matter positively.
“New Jerseyans are largely giving Sherrill credit for how she has responded to a problem inside her own administration,” Koning said.
“She brought in an outside investigator and then called publicly for her own lieutenant governor to resign, and most residents read that as accountability rather than protecting her own or politics as usual.”
Caldwell Resigned While Poll Was Underway
The poll was being conducted as the Caldwell controversy reached its conclusion.
Rutgers initially questioned respondents before Caldwell resigned.
After his Sept. 25 resignation, pollsters changed the wording to reflect that development.
Rutgers said there was no statistically significant difference between the responses collected before and after the resignation.
Before Caldwell stepped down, 34% said Sherrill was handling the matter very well and 33% said somewhat well.
After his resignation, 38% said very well and 30% said somewhat well.
Republicans Remain Deeply Negative on Sherrill
Sherrill’s overall job rating remains sharply divided by political affiliation.
Sixty-nine percent of Democrats approve of her performance, compared with 10% who disapprove.
Among Republicans, 13% approve and 79% disapprove.
Independents are much more closely divided, with 38% approving, 32% disapproving and 30% unsure.
Regionally, Sherrill recorded her strongest approval in suburban areas at 56%.
Approval stood at 45% among urban respondents, 42% in exurban areas, 33% in the Philadelphia and South Jersey region and 36% along the Shore.
Poll Surveyed 1,004 New Jersey Adults
The Rutgers-Eagleton Poll surveyed 1,004 New Jersey adults from Sept. 24 through Sept. 27.
The statewide poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
The numbers leave Sherrill with more residents approving than disapproving of her performance, while at the same time showing a plurality of New Jerseyans dissatisfied with the direction of the state.
