Poll: Christie Ahead Of Obama Among GOP Hopefuls
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- In a hypothetical field of 2012 Republican presidential candidates, the only one who would beat President Barack Obama is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, according to a new Zogby International poll.
Despite those results and the recent election day Republican landslide, Christie said Obama should not be worried.
"I'm sure the president is resting easy...knowing that the only person who's beating him in the poll will once again declare that I'm not running for President of the United States," Christie told reporters, including 1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg Tuesday.
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According to poll, Christie would edge out the president 43 to 40 percent. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney would be neck-and-neck with the president, who would still beat potential challengers Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee. Newt Gingrich was not even on the list.
Pollster John Zogby spoke with WCBS 880 Tuesday and said the poll showed that respondents were "not enamored with the other candidates" and that those White House hopefuls could have split each others' votes.
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WCBS Anchor Steve Scott's full interview with John Zogby for the full explanation of the results.
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LINK: Full Results of the Zogby International poll
"Well I think that's good news for the president since I'm not running," Christie reiterated.
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The governor also tried to remain humble in light of the hypothetical outcome.
"I'm just a kid from Livingston, who walked up [former New Jersey Gov.] Tom Kean's driveway when I was 14 and he got me hooked into this political thing. Little did anyone think that I would actually lead any kind of presidential poll," Christie said.
Zogby said one of the most important things to take away from the poll was that the president was polling in the low 40's against the Republican candidates.
The results, Zogby said, were "not good for an incumbent" and suggested "maybe the big loser in this poll right now is President Obama," he said.
And if Christie sticks to his position of not running for the highest office in the land, the runner-up for Republicans, according to the poll, would be "not sure/other."
Zogby International conducted the poll from Dec. 30, 2010 to Jan. 3, 2011 and it had a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percent.
