Independent Chris Daggett could be the difference in the deadlocked race for New Jersey governor, according to a poll conducted Oct. 9 to 12 by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling.
Daggett, who had a strong performance in the first debate and won the endorsement of the Newark Star-Ledger on Sunday, is polling at 13 percent among likely voters, a plurality of whom said they would otherwise lean toward Republican challenger Chris Christie. Asked who their second choice would be, 48 percent of Daggett voters said Christie, compared to 34 percent who said Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine. Eighteen percent were unsure.
All told, Christie now leads Corzine by a statistically insignificant 40 percent to 39 percent, confirming several other recent polls that show the race narrowing to a virtual tie after Christie lead all summer. Corzine trailed by nine points in the September PPP poll.
"Pretty much every poll in the last two weeks has confirmed the new reality of the New Jersey Governor's race: it's a tossup," Public Policy Polling President Dean Debnam said in a release. "Democrats are getting on the same page with Jon Corzine and Chris Daggett's giving people disgusted with both candidates a place to go. It's going to go right down to the wire."
Corzine's renewed competitiveness can be attributed to his success in consolidating support among Democrats and in raising the negative ratings of his opponent.
The incumbent now has the backing of 70 percent of Democrats, comparable to Christie's 73 percent of Republicans. Christie still leads among Independents, 42 percent to 28 percent, with Daggett taking 19 percent of Independent voters, 13 percent of Republicans and 10 percent of Democrats.
Christie also has a net unfavorable rating for the first time in the PPP poll - 44 percent of likely voters now say they hold an unfavorable view of the former U.S. attorney, compared to 42 percent who view him favorably. Corzine continues to have negative ratings, as well - 55 percent unfavorable to 37 percent favorable - but that is an improvement over the 60 percent to 32 percent unfavorable-favorable rating he had a month ago.
Daggett is becoming better known, but a plurality of voters - 46 percent -- still don't have an opinion of him. Thirty percent view the independent candidate favorably, while 24 percent view him unfavorably.
The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4.1 percent.
-- Emily Cadei
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