Kerry Widens Lead Over Bush in NJ

A Quinnipiac University poll released today gives Sen. John Kerry a 49-36 percent lead over President George W. Bush among New Jersey voters, with 6 percent for independent candidate Ralph Nader, With Nader out of the race, Kerry is ahead 52-38 percent. Without Nader in the race, the poll indicates that Kerry would lead Bush 52-38 percent with 10 percent undecided.

The current poll reflects a significant post-convention "bounce" for Kerry who had led Bush and Nader 46-40-7 percent in the previous poll released on June 23, 2004. The President's job approval rating in New Jersey has dropped to a low of 43 percent.

In an open-ended question, where voters can give any answer, 26 percent list terrorism/security as the most important problem facing the United States followed by 23 percent who list the war in Iraq and 18 percent who list the economy/jobs.

Quinnipiac University surveyed 996 New Jersey registered voters from July 30 - August 2 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University poll is a sharp contrast to a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll of 834 registered voters that was conducted from July 20 to July 26 which gave Kerry only a 45-43 percent lead with another 10 percent undecided. The Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.

You can view the complete results of these polls at:

• Quinnipiac University poll - August 5, 2004
• Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll - July 28, 2004