Poll: Christie runs stronger against Obama than most of rumored GOP field

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie performs better in a head-to-head match-up against President Obama in 2012 than most of the rumored field of Republican presidential hopefuls, according to a new poll.

New numbers from Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind poll show Obama leading Christie by just six percentage points in a hypothetical 2012 match-up — 46 percent to 40.

That's better than former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who trails Obama 54 percent to 34; former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who trails 48 percent to 34; and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), who trails the president 52 percent to 37.

The only two rumored GOP hopefuls who outperform Christie: former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Obama is in a dead heat with both potential contenders. He's tied with Huckabee at 46 percent and leads Romney by just a point — 44 percent to 43.

The poll surveyed 800 registered voters nationwide and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Despite solid poll numbers, Christie has repeatedly denied any interest in running for the presidency next year, musing on more than one occasion that short of suicide, he isn't sure what he could do to convince people he won't run in 2012.

Still, given a GOP field without a clear front-runner and Christie's rock star-like status among national conservatives, many Republicans are still hopeful he could opt for a 2012 bid.

The New Jersey governor made his second trip to Washington in as many months on Wednesday as the headliner for the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual fundraising dinner, which pulled in more than $10 million. The haul was a $3 million improvement over what the NRCC brought in at last year's dinner.