Quinnipiac: New Jersey Voters Approve of Christie and His Tax Cut

82% Don’t Know Enough About Kyrillos To Form An Opinion On His U.S. Senate Candidacy

New Jersey voters continue to approve of the job Governor Chris Christie is doing, according to a Quinnipiac poll released this morning.

Christie’s job approval is 55-38%, with a significant gender gap.  Men approve of the governor 62-32% while woman approve 49-44%.

New Jersey voters approved of Christie’s proposed income tax cut by a 55-31% margin.

If Christie were selected as the vice presidential nominee,  his presence on the ballot as Mitt Romney’s running mate would close the gap between Romney and President Obama, but not by enough to carry the state.  Obama beats Romney 49-39% in New Jersey.  The gap closes to 49-43% if Christie in Romney’s VP choice.

In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Democrat Bob Menendez bests Republican Joe Kyrillos by 49-34% with Independents favoring the Democrat 44-32%.

82% of the respondents did not know enough about Kyrillos to form and opinion.

“Sen. Robert Menendez’s numbers are only so-so, but nobody has heard of State Sen. Joe Kyrillos.  He gets only the generic Republican vote,”  said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

In the Republican presidential primary, Romney leads former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum 38-24%, with Texas Congressman Ron Paul coming in third with 12%. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gets 9%.  The Republican primary survey has a margin of error of +/- 4.6%.

Obama beats all Republican contenders in New Jersey.  Santorum by 52-34%, Gingrich by 55-30% .  If Quinnipiac polled Paul against Obama, they did not report the results.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1396 registered voters, 446 (32%) of them Republicans, between February 21-27.  The poll has a margin of error of +/- 2.6%

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Gingrich Hopes Gas Prices Will Fuel His Presidential Bid

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is hoping rising gasoline prices can reignite his stalled presidential campaign.

Poltico’s Ginger Gibson (a former Star Ledger statehouse scribe) reports that Gingrich will deliver a speech on energy policy this afternoon to the California GOP state convention.

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Reagan Warned Of Obama

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NY Times Calls Romney Winner Of Florida Primary

The New York Times called the Florida GOP presidential primary for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at the moment the polls closed in the western part of the state.

As of 8:29 pm EST, with 63% of the results reported, Romney leads former House Speaker Newt Gingrich 47%  to 31%.  Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum has 13.2% of the preliminary count and Texas Congressman Ron Paul 6.9%.

The Times reported that Santorum, the winner of the Iowa caucuses has started running ads in Nevada targeting Gingrich’s Tea Party support, saying the Speaker’s policies, including support of Wall Street bailouts mirror those of another former Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and President Barack Obama.

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Gingrich Preparing for New Jersey Primary. Romney’s Lead in Florida Restored

Buoyed by his stunning victory in South Carolina, New Gingrich is preparing for a nomination process that could extend into the summer.

Calls have gone out to conservative activists throughout New Jersey looking for grassroots networks to get out the vote for the former Speaker of the House in the Garden State’s  June presidential primary. 

The Gingrich campaign is advertising on cable television in New Jersey.

But the Gingrich campaign may be getting ahead of itself.  After leading the polls in Florida immediately after his South Carolina victory, Gingrich has fallen back to second place, behind Mitt Romney, in the Rasmussen Poll conducted last night.

According to Rasmussen, Romney has restored his lead in Florida back to where it was before Gingrich’s South Carolina win on Saturday.   Romney is supported by 39% of likely voters to Gingrich’s 31%.  Rick Santorum is favored by 12% and Ron Paul has the support of 9% of those expected to vote on Tuesday.  Only 7% are undecided.

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Rasmussen: Gingrich leads Romney in Florida, 41%-32%

A telephone survey conducted Sunday of likely voters in the Florida GOP primary has Newton Gingrich leading Mitt Romney, 41%-32%, according to Rasmussen Reports.

Two weeks ago Romney lead by 22%.

Romney is leading among those who have already cast their votes by 11 points.  Gingrich leads by 12% among those who have not yet voted.  14% of likely voters have already cast their ballot.

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Perry To End Presidential Bid

The New York Times in reporting that Texas Governor Rick Perry is dropping out of the contest for the 2012 GOP Presidential nomination.

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An On The Ground Report…

From The First In The Nation Primary State Of New Hampshire…

Friday, January 6^th    “One Renegade Campaign Volunteer”

Having been to this wonderful state so many times, I was briefly introduced to the Primary Campaign process up here during the 2008 election season while on a trip picking up campaign collectibles. As a political junkie, I became enamored of what I saw. So, this year; because of the importance of defeating Obama, I decided to volunteer up here for a few days with the primary candidate of my choice, Newt Gingrich.

So, prior to leaving for New Hampshire on Thursday, I sent a note to Art suggesting that if I had time, I would pass on my thoughts about the process up here during the final days of this primary. So, despite the lateness of the hour, actually 12:15 in the morning after my day started at 8 am, subsequent to a 6 hour drive up Thursday night; here we go.

I’m going to remain anonymous though, as it’s the content that’s important; not the person writing it. There are some lessons to be learned from New Hampshire. Most of them will be random thoughts as they come to me.  

Where Do I Begin?

First of all, New Hampshire voters take their primary SERIOUSLY, VERY SERIOUSLY. I can not even think of when I have seen this kind of Republican fervor in blue New Jersey. Perhaps it has something to do with it being the first in the nation primary, or it having to do with this region being one of he cradles of our democracy, voters get involved.

There’s lots of Town Hall style meetings schedule across the state and seem to be well attended. One event for Newt this evening produced a crowd 20% larger than expected. People listened intently and asked great questions. Nearly a third of the crowd stayed to ask other questions of Newt or make a comment.

A county fund raiser with multiple Presidential candidates was similarly “sold out.”

Here’s one other novel thing about New Hampshire campaigns…

It’s called a “sign wave.”

Betcha you are scratching your head, now, wondering what in tarnation is that?

Well, 10 or so volunteers get together and wave their candidates campaign signs at intersections and roundabouts in their towns, most often at rush hour. The first time I saw that was in 2008 in Keene, N.H. at about 6:30 am when a bunch of Hillary supporters were on the main square. Sometimes, they are just regular signs. Many times, there are three or 4 signs stapled to a 1 x 3 so that they can be seen from a distance in traffic.

Mind you, it’s really cold when you wake up here in they morning.

Try asking some of our County Committee people in Monmouth County to do that in more reasonable weather. Bet you they will look at you like you’ve got horns growing out of your head.

But, they certainly do it here.

Volunteers also come from all over. I’ve met several people from Pennsylvania and New York. One intrepid volunteer, and I guess well off volunteer even flew his twin engine plane from San Francisco to Iowa to volunteer for a week; and then on to Manchester, N.H to help out here. One wonders if we do this for the thrill of a Republican campaign that we don’t often see in blue states such as these.

Saturday, I’m advancing two events and then heading off to the big debate Saturday evening. I hope to be inside for a bit to pick up on what I feel the candidates are about. Yes, perhaps from my jaded view point; but without the twist of the media.

One last thought for the evening. Before you ever complain about putting out campaign signs; just imagine how difficult it is in New Hampshire this time of year; trying to plant your thin wire frame into frozen soil.

I know. I did it, at least 50 times today.

New Hampshire natives, adapt, perseveres and overcome. Perhaps that’s another lesson for all of us. It’s a shame more of us couldn’t come up here and learn something about real campaigning.

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Cain Staying In The Race

Herman Cain told supporters in Ohio that he is not dropping out of the 2012 GOP presidential nominating race, according to the New York Times:

“The American people are going to raise some Cain in 2012!”

Over a roar of approval from the crowd, he added: “They want you to believe that we can’t do this. They want you to believe that with enough character assassination on me, I will drop out!”

Bayshore Tea Party Group leader Barbara Gonzalez said, “YAY!  I don’t believe Cain did what he’s being accused of, but even if he did, that’s between him and his wife!  We need to save the frickin’ country!”

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Christie Will Endorse Romney This Afternoon

Multiple media sources are reporting that Governor Chris Christie will endorse Mitt Romney for President during a press conference in New Hampshire at 3PM this afternoon.

Romney’s website is already hailing the endorsement.

Locally, news of Christie’s endorsement has had a negative reaction from Bayshore Tea Party Group founder Barbara Gonzalez who sent an “urgent” email to the group’s members and other Tea Party group leaders asking that they “take a leap of faith” and endorse Herman Cain for President.

“THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ANTICIPATED WHEN HERMAN CAIN STARTED TO RISE IN THE POLLS”, wrote Gonzalez,

First, Christie was dragged out to run for President, and when that didn’t work, he is off to endorse Romney.

Are we really going to sit here and let them do this? Do you see what is happening here?

I know some of you don’t agree with me, but I am not going to sit back and let them dictate to me who is going to be the next President.”

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