Maurice Carroll, Assistant Director
(203) 506-9199
Rubenstein
Pat Smith (212) 843-8026
FOR RELEASE: MAY 3, 2017
MURPHY TOPS GUADAGNO, PISCOPO IN NEW JERSEY GOV RACE,
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS;
MOST VOTERS UNDECIDED IN JUNE 6 PRIMARIES
Democrat Phil Murphy has hit the magic 50 percent mark in the 2017 New Jersey governor’s
race, leading Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno 50 – 25 percent in what is still a battle of the
unknowns, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.
In a three-way general election race, with comedian Joe Piscopo running as an
independent candidate, Murphy gets 41 percent, with 21 percent for Guadagno and 14 percent
for Piscopo, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.
In the June 6 primary, 52 percent of Democratic voters remain undecided. Murphy gets
26 percent, with 7 percent for former U.S. Treasury Under Secretary Jim Johnson, 5 percent for
Assembly member John Wisniewski, 4 percent for State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, 3 percent for
activist Bill Brennan and 1 percent for Tenafly Councilman Mark Zinna.
In a Republican primary, 51 percent of voters are undecided. Guadagno leads with 23
percent, followed by 12 percent for Assembly member Jack Ciattarelli, 5 percent for Nutley
Commissioner Steve Rogers and 3 percent for entrepreneur Joseph Rullo.
In the Murphy-Guadagno faceoff, women back the Democrat 53 – 20 percent and men
back him 47 – 30 percent.
With Piscopo in the race, women go 45 percent for Murphy, 18 percent for Guadagno
and 11 percent for Piscopo. Men go 36 percent for Murphy, 24 percent for Guadagno and 18
percent for Piscopo.
“The news that they’re supposed to elect a governor this year doesn't seem to have gotten
through to a lot of New Jersey voters,” said Maurice Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac
University Poll.
“Kim Guadagno has been lieutenant governor. Phil Murphy has spent a zillion dollars on
campaign ads. Both have sewed up county organization support.”
-more-
Quinnipiac University Poll/May 3, 2017
“But more than half of the voters don’t know enough about either of them to give a
favorable-or-unfavorable judgment,” Carroll added.
“Even fewer people have an opinion of Joe Piscopo. Has the news gotten around that
he’s thinking of running?
“In a general election matchup, Murphy trounces Guadagno, just hitting the 50 percent
mark.”
New Jersey voters know little about the candidates for governor, as 57 percent haven’t
heard enough about either Murphy or Guadagno to form an opinion of them. For Piscopo, 64
percent say they don’t know enough to form an opinion.
Taxes are the most important issue in deciding how they will vote for governor, 25
percent of New Jersey voters say, while 19 percent list the economy; 18 percent list education;
15 percent cite health care and 13 percent say ethics in government.
President Trump’s Approval Rating
With a more than 2-1 disapproval from women, President Donald Trump gets a negative
35 – 56 percent job approval rating in the Garden State, compared to a negative 34 – 59 percent
score in a March 15 Quinnipiac University poll.
Today, women give Trump a negative 28 – 63 percent approval rating. The president
has a negative 43 – 49 percent among men.
Booker for President
New Jersey voters approve 57 – 33 percent of the job U.S. Sen. Cory Booker is doing,
but say 54 – 33 percent that he should not run for president in 2020.
Booker’s presidential possibility gets a lukewarm 54 – 30 percent endorsement from
Democrats, with every other listed party, gender, education, age or racial group saying no.
Voters give U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez a split 41 – 41 percent job approval rating.
From April 26 – May 1, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,209 New Jersey voters with
a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. The survey includes 519 Democrats with a
margin of error of +/- 4.3 percentage points and 331 Republicans with a margin of error of
+/- 5.4 percentage points. Live interviewers call landlines and cell phones.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia,
Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research.
Visit poll.qu.edu or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll
Call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.
2
1. (If Registered Republican) If the Republican primary for governor were being held
today, and the candidates were Kim Guadagno, Jack Ciattarelli, Joe Rullo, Steve Rogers,
and Hirsh Singh, for whom would you vote?
REGISTERED REPUBLICANS................
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
CONSERVATIVE Mod/
Tot
Very
Smwht Lib
Men
Wom
Guadagno
Ciattarelli
Rullo
Rogers
Singh
SMONE ELSE(VOL)
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)
DK/NA
23%
12
3
5
1
4
51
24%
13
2
6
1
4
50
17%
17
2
11
1
51
30%
9
5
1
1
6
47
27%
12
5
6
1
5
44
19%
13
1
5
4
58
2. (If Registered Democrat) If the Democratic primary for governor were being held today,
and the candidates were Phil Murphy, John Wisniewski, Ray Lesniak, Bill Brennan,
Jim Johnson, and Mark Zinna, for whom would you vote?
REGISTERED DEMOCRATS..................
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
LIBERAL..... Mod/
Tot
Very
Smwht Cons
Men
Wom
Murphy
Wisniewski
Lesniak
Brennan
Johnson
Zinna
SMONE ELSE(VOL)
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)
DK/NA
26%
5
4
3
7
1
1
2
52
33%
10
6
5
4
4
37
27%
5
2
1
7
1
56
23%
4
3
3
7
1
3
1
55
27%
6
4
4
8
2
3
2
43
25%
5
3
3
5
1
57
3. If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were
Phil Murphy the Democrat and Kim Guadagno the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Murphy
Guadagno
SMONE ELSE(VOL)
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)
DK/NA
Murphy
Guadagno
SMONE ELSE(VOL)
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
50%
25
1
3
21
10%
68
2
19
83%
3
1
2
12
37%
28
1
5
29
47%
30
1
3
19
53%
20
1
3
23
49%
30
1
2
17
36%
33
4
26
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
44%
21
1
3
32
40%
37
1
4
18
43%
31
1
3
21
62%
14
3
20
55%
22
5
18
54%
27
1
2
16
48%
31
1
2
18
47%
27
1
2
24
3
4. If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were
Phil Murphy the Democrat, Kim Guadagno the Republican, and Joe Piscopo running as an
independent candidate, for whom would you vote?
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Yes
No
Murphy
Guadagno
Piscopo
SMONE ELSE(VOL)
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)
DK/NA
Murphy
Guadagno
Piscopo
SMONE ELSE(VOL)
WLDN'T VOTE(VOL)
DK/NA
41%
21
14
2
21
6%
59
15
1
1
18
45%
18
11
2
22
43%
23
14
1
18
30%
29
16
2
22
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
33%
20
11
2
34
33%
28
20
1
18
37%
26
15
2
20
48%
13
13
2
23
46%
18
18
2
16
72%
2
8
1
17
45%
21
18
1
1
15
28%
23
21
4
25
43%
26
11
1
20
36%
24
18
2
20
41%
24
11
1
2
22
5. Is your opinion of Phil Murphy favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough
about him?
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Yes
No
Favorable
Unfavorable
Hvn't hrd enough
REFUSED
Favorable
Unfavorable
Hvn't hrd enough
REFUSED
28%
12
57
3
7%
24
68
1
27%
9
62
2
30%
13
54
2
20%
12
66
2
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
26%
13
55
6
29%
16
52
3
26%
13
60
2
33%
10
53
3
34%
12
53
1
43%
4
52
1
30%
10
58
3
24%
14
57
5
25%
7
66
1
30%
15
53
3
22%
9
67
2
6. Is your opinion of Kim Guadagno favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough
about her?
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
Yes
No
Favorable
Unfavorable
Hvn't hrd enough
REFUSED
Favorable
Unfavorable
Hvn't hrd enough
REFUSED
18%
23
57
2
37%
9
52
1
14%
22
62
2
22%
34
41
2
26%
16
57
1
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
15%
12
71
1
30%
26
42
2
24%
26
48
2
8%
17
72
3
11%
29
57
2
4%
35
60
1
22%
27
48
3
24%
18
54
3
21%
23
54
2
23%
24
51
2
19%
26
54
2
4
7. Is your opinion of Joe Piscopo favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough
about him?
Favorable
Unfavorable
Hvn't hrd enough
REFUSED
Favorable
Unfavorable
Hvn't hrd enough
REFUSED
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
19%
15
64
2
25%
17
56
1
13%
18
67
1
23%
10
64
3
23%
16
59
2
15%
14
69
2
20%
20
57
2
24%
13
61
2
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
12%
7
81
1
26%
16
55
2
22%
17
59
2
14%
11
73
1
22%
15
63
1
25%
19
53
3
16%
16
66
2
18%
18
63
2
8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as President?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
35%
56
9
86%
7
7
5%
89
6
41%
48
11
43%
49
8
28%
63
9
35%
57
7
52%
40
8
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
36%
49
16
53%
42
5
43%
50
8
20%
70
11
27%
64
8
34%
60
6
42%
51
7
34%
56
10
10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
21%
60
19
22%
59
19
25%
55
20
17%
64
20
22%
63
15
20%
57
23
21%
62
17
21%
57
22
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
23%
49
28
22%
65
14
21%
60
19
20%
61
19
18%
71
11
21%
61
18
22%
59
19
21%
55
24
5
11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Cory Booker is handling his job as
United States Senator?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
57%
33
10
23%
64
13
85%
8
7
45%
41
14
53%
39
8
61%
27
12
58%
35
6
45%
43
12
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
50%
34
16
47%
45
8
52%
39
9
66%
21
12
61%
30
10
60%
32
8
56%
34
10
57%
33
10
12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Menendez is handling his job as
United States Senator?
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Approve
Disapprove
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
41%
41
18
20%
66
14
59%
24
17
35%
45
19
40%
48
13
43%
34
23
41%
44
14
34%
48
19
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
30%
36
34
36%
54
11
38%
46
16
49%
31
20
43%
40
18
47%
43
10
47%
40
13
40%
39
21
14. Would you like to see the Democrats or the Republicans control the New Jersey state
legislature?
Democrats
Republicans
DK/NA
Democrats
Republicans
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
51%
32
16
4%
88
8
91%
3
7
38%
35
27
46%
38
16
57%
27
17
47%
40
13
36%
47
16
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
48%
31
21
36%
51
13
42%
43
15
69%
13
18
57%
30
13
56%
31
14
46%
37
17
48%
35
16
6
15. Which of these is the most important issue to you in deciding how to vote for
governor this year: taxes, the economy, education, the budget, health care, or ethics in
government?
Taxes
Economy
Education
Budget
Health care
Ethics in government
SOMETHING ELSE(VOL)
DK/NA
Taxes
Economy
Education
Budget
Health care
Ethics in government
SOMETHING ELSE(VOL)
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
25%
19
18
7
15
13
2
1
44%
18
5
10
9
12
1
12%
16
26
6
23
13
2
1
29%
23
16
5
10
14
1
1
27%
22
17
8
9
13
2
1
22%
16
19
5
21
13
1
2
27%
18
14
10
13
14
2
2
34%
14
12
6
15
16
2
2
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
15%
25
30
3
13
12
2
-
33%
17
12
11
9
14
3
1
30%
16
13
8
14
15
2
2
14%
26
29
3
17
10
1
1
20%
17
34
4
11
11
2
1
28%
21
7
8
18
15
2
1
31%
16
9
10
16
15
2
3
28%
15
14
6
18
16
1
2
16. Do you think Cory Booker should run for President in 2020 or not?
Yes/Should
No
DK/NA
Yes/Should
No
DK/NA
Tot
Rep
Dem
Ind
Men
Wom
WHITE......
COLLEGE DEG
Yes
No
33%
54
13
7%
81
12
54%
30
16
25%
65
11
26%
62
12
40%
45
15
34%
54
12
24%
63
13
AGE IN YRS..............
18-34 35-49 50-64 65+
WHITE.....
Men
Wom
Wht
NonWht
36%
44
20
23%
67
11
29%
58
12
41%
44
14
38%
55
6
34%
54
11
27%
58
15
36%
51
14
7