Chris Christie more popular than ever

Republican Gov. Chris Christie is more popular than ever in New Jersey, according to a new poll.

Christie’s approval rating stands at 59 percent — the highest ever in the regular polls conducted by Quinnipiac University. Christie locks up the support of 92 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of independents. Democrats make up the only political group that views him more negatively than favorably; two out of three Democrats disapprove of Christie.

The new numbers suggest Christie remains a powerful political brand — at least in his home state — just as his name continues to be floated as a possible vice presidential pick for Mitt Romney. Christie has demurred when the question comes up, but Republicans are also looking to Christie for a possible presidential run in 2016 if Republicans don’t win the White House in 2012.

Christie’s approval ratings have been climbing upward since a minor blip in January when he dropped down to 53 percent. Meanwhile, his disapproval rating has been falling and stands now at 36 percent.

Christie is fresh back from a jaunt to Israel and Jordan, a move many in the Garden State read as an attempt to shore up his foreign-policy credentials ahead of a future run for higher office.

The first-term governor has also largely escaped the stain of the attack his foes love to lob at him: that he bullies his opponents into submission. Fifty-four percent said they see Christie more as a leader than a bully — the highest of any of the four Quinnipiac polls since 2010 that have posed the question.

The poll of 1,607 New Jersey voters was conducted April 3-9 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.

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