Q-pollsters: Hillary Metaphorically "Mows Down" Christie...in NJ

Daniel Doherty | December 11, 2014 1:30 PM

My response: So what?

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton mows down New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie and other Republican 2016 presidential contenders in the Garden State, as voters say Gov. Christie would not make a good president, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

New Jersey voters say 53 - 40 percent that Christie would not make a good president, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds. Republicans say 70 - 21 percent that their governor would do well in the White House, but every other party, gender or age group listed disagrees.

American voters are not ready for a "Jersey Guy" president such as Christie, Garden State voters say 49 - 43 percent. There are gender and age gaps: Men are divided 46 - 47 percent, but women say 51 - 41 percent America is not ready. Voters 18 to 34 years old say 54 - 38 percent the U.S. is ready for a "Jersey Guy," but voters 35 years old and older disagree.

"Even Jersey guys, actually Jersey girls, don't think the nation will go for a Jersey guy like Gov. Christopher Christie," said Maurice Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

The raw numbers:

If Christie runs, he loses to Clinton 50 - 39 percent, winning only among Republicans...

Forgive me, but I fail to see the real significance of this poll. After all, is it any surprise that every Republican surveyed, including Gov. Christie, is getting smoked by Hillary Clinton in the Garden State?

Nope.

Frankly, if Christie or any other GOP candidate was ahead right now, that would be a strong indication Democrats are headed for a devastating defeat in 2016. No one anticipated or expected Mitt Romney to win his home state of Massachusetts in 2012; why then is it suddenly newsy that Gov. Christie is hypothetically trailing Hillary Clinton -- years before a presidential election -- in one of the bluest states in America?

I’ll tell you why: Because not too long ago the Republican governor somehow boasted surreal and truly dizzying approval ratings in the state. Remember last year when 56 percent of New Jersey Democrats gave him positive marks? Bridgegate, of course, damaged him greatly, even though he was fully exonerated. But does that mean he should kiss any presidential ambitions he might have goodbye? Hardly:

All things considered, I’d say he’s doing just fine. He’s very popular among Republicans, above water with Independents, and performing respectfully among Democrats -- just in New Jersey. Thus, these numbers suggest he’s weathered a terrible scandal in many ways politicized by the media. And he's still standing.