March Thu, 1997
IMPRESSIONS OF WHITMAN’S FIRST TERM IN OFFICE
While Governor Christie Whitman continues to receive positive job ratings from a majority of New Jerseyans and is currently preferred as a candidate over a yet to be named Democratic opponent in the 1997 election, her support is not as broad as Tom Kean’s was at the same point in his gubernatorial tenure. As a candidate for Governor in 1997, Whitman has the support of about 4-in-10 New Jerseyans who would vote to re-elect her, compared to half of New Jerseyans who indicated they would vote to re-elect Republican Governor Tom Kean in the spring of 1985. The key difference between the support for Whitman and Kean is Kean had the ability to attract larger percentages of independents and Democrats.
March Mon, 1997
NEW JERSEYANS WANT TO VOTE ON THE BOND ISSUE
New Jerseyans want the opportunity to vote on Governor Whitman’s proposed bond issue to fund the state’s pension obligation and provide more money for the state budget. Nine-in-ten New Jerseyans say the decision to commit the state to pay for the bonds should be put on the ballot for a public vote. There is bi-partisan support for a public vote with both Democrats (95%) and Republicans (88%) agreeing the bond issue should be on the ballot.
March Sun, 1997
NEW JERSEYANS EVALUATE AUTO INSURANCE REFORMS
Although New Jerseyans are not satisfied with the cost and coverage of their automobile insurance, about half would rather keep the auto insurance that they have now rather than change to one of the four new options that have been proposed by Governor Whitman to reform the state's auto insurance system.
November Sun, 1996
1996 NEW JERSEY ELECTIONS A STATE IN FLUX CLINTON’S LEAD DECLINES; ZIMMER AND TORRICELLI EVEN VOTER INTEREST DROPS
While President Bill Clinton still leads former Senator Bob Dole 45 to 34 percent, there has been a 10 percentage point decline in the President's support since the poll conducted in mid-October. In addition, President Clinton who has had support for re-election among a majority of New Jersey voters since February, now finds the state's likely voters reconsidering him as their choice to lead the country for the next four years. Forty-six percent of likely voters say that the President deserves re-election which is a 10 percentage point decline since the mid-October poll. While Bob Dole is the benefactor of some of this discontent with Clinton, Ross Perot is gaining about the same proportion of those who are moving from Clinton. Independent voters, voters aged 50 to 64 years old, and voters who are 18-29 years old are examples of groups where Clinton's strong lead is eroding.