Christie Clobbering Corzine in Latest Poll

This is certainly some good poll news for the bedraggled Republicans. If you have a good chance to win the statehouse in New Jersey then all hope is not lost.

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine trails Chris Christie, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, by nine percentage points, up from six points in February, according to poll released today.

The Quinnipiac University poll has little good news for the Democratic incumbent. Half of those polled disapproved of the job Corzine's doing even before he unveiled a bad news budget Tuesday.

Pollster Clay Richards said Christie could gain momentum as more voters find out who he is. Only 44 percent said they're aware he is a former federal prosecutor with a string of political corruption convictions.

Never underestimate Corzine's ability to spend millions to keep his seat, however. Between his Senate and gubernatorial campaigns he's spent well in excess of $100 million. Maybe this time around his money is dwindling thanks to the Obama economy plus the fact he's just incompetent and people can't stand him. These numbers look bleak.

Christopher Christie, the Republican challenger in this year's New Jersey Governor's race, leads Democratic incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine 46 - 37 percent, even though 61 percent of voters don't know enough about the former U.S. Attorney to form an opinion of him, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. This compares to a 44 - 38 percent Christie lead in a February 4 poll by the independent Quinnipiac University.

In this latest survey, Democrats support Corzine 69 - 14 percent while Christie leads 87 - 4 percent among Republicans and 49 - 31 percent among independent voters. Men back the Republican 51 - 34 percent and women back him 41 - 39 percent.

Corzine leads former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan 41 - 37 percent, even though 77 percent of New Jersey voters haven't heard enough about Lonegan to form an opinion.

Only 44 percent of voters were aware that Christie was a federal prosecutor who successfully forced more than 100 New Jersey politicians to leave office. But 42 percent of voters say that experience makes them more likely to vote for Christie.

Voters say 48 - 36 percent that his background as a prosecutor gives Christie the experience to be Governor. Voters say 49 - 37 percent it is better to have a new face such as Christie than a business man such as Corzine leading the state during the economic crisis.

"There are no good numbers for Gov. Jon Corzine in this poll, and since it was taken before his Draconian budget was released, his numbers could be even worse today," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Independents make up a sizable chunk of Jersey voters and the fact Corzine trails by 18% among them is huge. That he's trailing among women, albeit a statistical tie, is rather ominous.

Shocker: Corrupt Democrats Arrested in New Jersey

Here in New Jersey, it's an endless parade of corrupt Democrat elected officials, yet the people keep voting for them.

Well, you vote for sleazebags and this is what you get. Of course, they'll all surely blame Republicans for their predicament.

11 arrested in N.J. corruption probe

TRENTON, N.J. - The FBI arrested 11 public officials, including a mayor and two state lawmakers, Thursday in a federal corruption probe that spread across the state, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

The arrests were related to insurance contracts for local governments, a law enforcement officials said on condition of anonymity because the formal announcement was pending.

Democratic state Assemblymen Mims Hackett Jr. and Alfred E. Steele were both arrested, along with Passaic Mayor Samuel Rivera, the law enforcement official said. Also arrested were the chief of staff to Newark's City Council president, Passaic Councilmen Jonathan Soto and Marcellus Jackson, and five Pleasantville school board members.

The U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Christopher J. Christie, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun scheduled an afternoon news conference to discuss the case.

Hackett, 65, is also the mayor of Orange, a city of about 33,000 residents 15 miles west of New York City.

One of the oddities of New Jersey is you can hold dual office. This way, you can cash in twice on all the perks and kickbacks.

Steele, an assemblyman since 1996 and deputy speaker since 2002, works as a Baptist minister in Paterson and is a Passaic County undersheriff. Jenna Pollard, who answered the phone at Steele's office and identified herself as his chief of staff, said she had no comment and didn't know if Steele had a lawyer.

More than 100 public officials in the state have been convicted on federal corruption charges in the last five years.

Thursday's arrests were the latest in an anti-corruption campaign waged by Christie's office. Two other Democratic state senators, Wayne Bryant of Lawnside and Sharpe James of Newark, are among others facing pending corruption charges.

Former corrupt Governor and current Gay American, James McGreevey, was unavailable for comment.

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