New Polls Show Bridge Scandal Taking Toll On Christie's Popularity
By David Madden
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has taken a couple serious hits in the court of public opinion in the wake of Bridgegate. A pair of polls released this week show that the George Washington Bridge scandal has taken a toll on the governor's popularity.
All that good will Christie built up among New Jersey voters after Hurricane Sandy is gone, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers-Eagleton.
"The governor's favorability rating has dropped to 46% favorable-43% unfavorable," said poll director David Redlawsk. "To put that in context, it's down from 65% favorable just before his landslide re-election."
The biggest shift there is among Democrats. 45% liked him a couple months ago. 19% do now.
And if Christie's considering that 2016 White House run, the new Quinnipiac University national poll might give him cause to be concerned. They center on a hypothetical battle with Hillary Clinton. In December, Christie led by one point. Now he trails by eight.
"This is a bad poll for Chris Christie," said Tim Malloy, an assistant director of the school's polling institute. "There is no sugar coating it. And maybe even more significantly, the question of "Do you think he'd make a good president," Christie has slipped dramatically in that regard."