Poll: NJ residents like the job Gov. Murphy is doing more than they like him

Governor Phil Murphy’s favorability among New Jersey residents has dropped since November. A new poll released Monday shows the decline since Murphy’s re-election.

According to nj.com, the Democratic governor currently has a 33% favorability, which is down from 50% in November. However, about 49% of New Jersey residents approve of the job he’s doing. About 46% of residents disapprove.

This is the first poll that has assessed the governor since he defeated Republican Jack Ciatarelli by 3 percentage points in November.

Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, said, “This marks the first time since Governor Murphy took office that more New Jerseyans are unfavorable toward him than favorable. His current job approval and favorability numbers are reminiscent of the start of his first term, marking a clear end to his pandemic-induced rating bump as both the state and politics attempt to return to some sort of normal.”

Murphy’s highest marks have been for how he handled the pandemic. New Jersey residents do not like his taxes or cost of living in the state, according to the poll. The poll surveyed 1,044 adults statewide between February 24 and March 4. The poll overall put Murphy at a letter grade of a “C” on average among residents.