Poll Insights on New Jersey Gubernatorial Race

Supporters of Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for New Jersey governor, are showing more enthusiasm about voting for him compared to those backing U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, according to a recent poll.

A survey indicates that 91% of likely voters for Ciattarelli express strong enthusiasm, while Sherrill’s support sits at 86%, as noted by the Quinnipiac University Poll.

Even with this enthusiasm gap, polls conducted just over two weeks before Election Day reveal Sherrill leading Ciattarelli 50% to 44% among likely voters in New Jersey.

Tim Malloy, a polling analyst at Quinnipiac University, commented, “The loud debate is over, the attack ads are everywhere, the race is close, and Sherrill has a slight edge.” He further suggested that as Election Day approaches, enthusiasm may reflect in voter turnout, indicating that Ciattarelli has an upper hand in that area.

Polling data has narrowed since late September into early October, with some races appearing quite close. An internal poll from Ciattarelli’s camp even suggests he might have a one-point lead.

According to RealClearPolitics, Sherrill currently leads Ciattarelli by 4.6 points, a decrease from summer figures that were nearly double digits.

Feedback on both candidates shows mixed reviews from voters regarding key issues. Interestingly, as per the Quinnipiac poll, a slight majority of voters (47%) trust Ciattarelli over Sherrill to handle economic matters, while Sherrill edges out Ciattarelli in managing education (50% to 41%) and transportation (48% to 38%). Safety-related concerns were equally rated, both candidates receiving a 45% preference.

This poll was conducted shortly after Sherrill and Ciattarelli debated. It involved 1,327 likely voters in New Jersey from October 9 to 13, yielding a margin of error of approximately 3.6 percentage points.