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Election 2008: New Jersey Senate New Jersey Senate Race a Dead Heat (Lautenberg 45% Zimmer 44%)
Rasmussen Reports ^ | June 09, 2008 | Scott Rasmussen

Posted on 06/09/2008 6:47:35 PM PDT by Red Steel

emocrat Frank Lautenberg, seeking a fifth term in the U.S. Senate, is in a virtual tie with Republican challenger Dick Zimmer in New Jersey, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey.

Forty-five percent (45%) of likely voters in the predominantly Democratic state favor Lautenberg, while 44% are backing Zimmer, a former U.S. congressman who is running as a fiscal conservative.

The survey was taken 24 hours after Lautenberg, capturing over 60% of the vote, easily defeated another congressman, Robert Andrews, in the state's Democratic primary. Andrews, 50, who was endorsed by most of the state's newspapers, had aggressively attacked the incumbent for his age, but the sparse turnout at the polls and the size of Lautenberg's win indicate that the criticism did not stick with voters.

The 84-year-old Lautenberg countered by painting Andrews as too supportive of President Bush's policies including the war in Iraq, an issue where New Jersey voters break with the national average by overwhelmingly supporting a withdrawal of troops over winning the war.

But Lautenberg, despite primary support from Gov. Jon S. Corzine and other top state Democratic leaders, has some fence-building to do in his own party. While 83% of Republican voters support Zimmer, only 70% of Democrats are backing Lautenberg. Twenty-four percent (24%) of Democrats prefer Zimmer and 5% some other candidate.

Lautenberg is viewed at least somewhat favorably by 48% of New Jersey voters and at least somewhat unfavorably by 47%. Zimmer has an edge here, with 46% of voters at least somewhat favorable to him while only 38% rate him at least somewhat unfavorable.

Historically, however, New Jersey often shows Republicans competitive with Democrats until the fall when the latter pull away decisively. A Republican has not won a statewide election in the Garden State since 1997.

Female voters favor Lautenberg over Zimmer 49% to 40%, with the numbers exactly reversed for male voters who give the Republican the edge.

Given Lautenberg's liberal voting record in the Senate, it is no surprise that conservatives overwhelmingly support Zimmer (79%) over the incumbent (13%). By contrast, liberals back the Democrat (70%), but 22% support the Republican. Moderates give the nod to Lautenberg (49%) over Zimmer (39%), with 6% looking for a third party candidate and 6% undecided.

The new survey also finds that 37% of New Jersey voters rate their Governor's performance as poor. Twenty-nine percent (29%) give Corzine good or excellent marks.

See survey questions and toplines. Crosstabs available for Premium Members only.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: 2008poll; electioncongress; electionussenate; nj2008
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1 posted on 06/09/2008 6:47:35 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Red Steel

As crooked as NJ is, the guy doesn’t stand a chance.


2 posted on 06/09/2008 6:48:58 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: Red Steel

How difficult is it to beat a living corpse?


3 posted on 06/09/2008 6:51:11 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: Red Steel
If the Republicans had a spine they would create a series of ads about the number of Democrats like this moron who keep blocking drilling, fiscal policy, etc.. . I don't give a crap about playing nice, presenting positive spin, and so on as we seem to be trying this year. I say we hit the public with scare-mongering ads about how the Dems are going to cause them $7 a gallon gas, lose their jobs and take away their X-box games! We'll win by double digits!
4 posted on 06/09/2008 6:52:24 PM PDT by aegiscg47
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To: Red Steel
I could never, ever understand how someone like Lautenberg, who started and grew a very successful company such as did with ADP, would be a RAT. You'd think they would HATE WITH A PASSION government regulations and taxes after having to struggle with them for all those years. Maybe it's a form of Stockholm Syndrome
5 posted on 06/09/2008 6:55:00 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: Red Steel

Start up the copy machines in Newark. It will take lots of Democrat phony ballots if the election is that close.


6 posted on 06/09/2008 6:55:41 PM PDT by kittymyrib
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To: aegiscg47

I hope they do, but I’m not sure the Republicans have enough brains to figure out that nice guys finish last.


7 posted on 06/09/2008 6:56:22 PM PDT by lesser_satan (Cthulu '08! Why vote for the lesser evil?)
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To: Red Steel
My bet is on the cadaver in formaldahyde. The election system in New Jersey is rigged to the max. One has to feel for the people but logic would say: you get what you voted for./Just Asking - seoul62..........
8 posted on 06/09/2008 6:57:00 PM PDT by seoul62
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To: Blood of Tyrants
As crooked as NJ is, the guy doesn’t stand a chance.

As long as a candidate has a (D) after his name, he could be an ax murderer and win in NJ.

9 posted on 06/09/2008 7:00:56 PM PDT by Neverforget01
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To: Red Steel

**Zimmer, a former U.S. congressman who is running as a fiscal conservative**

Come on, Republicans. Throw out Lautenberg.


10 posted on 06/09/2008 7:07:03 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
How can ANYONE still want Lousenberg in there?

Living here ... one of his ads just reeked of how sleazy he is. He had the sleaze look. It was supposed to portray him s smooth - pure sleaze.

How many times will DOPES vote Lousenberg in again?

11 posted on 06/09/2008 7:09:58 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: AmericaUnited

LOL!

You’re right.

Isn’t he 91?

Last time around they had to CHANGE THE LAW to get him in. He didn’t debate anyone either because he can’t. He’s a total imbecile.


12 posted on 06/09/2008 7:10:57 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: Salvation
Come on, Republicans. Throw out Lautenberg.

We would, but we are only allowed to vote once each. That's a huge disadvantage in The Garden State.

13 posted on 06/09/2008 7:11:15 PM PDT by TruthShallSetYouFree (Abortion is to family planning what bankruptcy is to financial planning.)
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To: Red Steel

By October Lautenberg will be behind in the polls and will withdraw citing health concerns. The Dems will go to court to either, 1) substitute another popular Democrat, or 2) get a stay on the election until a suitable Democrat has been found.


14 posted on 06/09/2008 7:14:11 PM PDT by TexasNative2000 (Is this tagline governed by McCain-Feingold?)
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To: nmh
Last time around they had to CHANGE THE LAW to get him in.

Actually, they didn't change the law. They just ignored it. Torricelli was the original dem candidate, and he was caught taking bribes and being involved in so much corruption that even the dem voters in NJ were not going to vote for him. He was so far behind in the polls that the party bigwigs forced him to resign and replaced him with Lautenberg, even though the time period for doing so had long since passed. The NJ Supremes, who make the Florida Supremes look like Scalia and Thomas, allowed the last-minute switch, claiming that NJ voters should not be deprived of having a choice. So, the morons in my home state said, "Sure, why not?" and voted overwhelmingly for Lautenberg.

15 posted on 06/09/2008 7:16:14 PM PDT by TruthShallSetYouFree (Abortion is to family planning what bankruptcy is to financial planning.)
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To: AmericaUnited

Also, a lot of tycoons benefit from their own style of government largesse through federal grants, etc. The American people, whatever, will never figure out what is happening.


16 posted on 06/09/2008 7:19:23 PM PDT by Theodore R. ( Cowardice is still forever!)
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To: Neverforget01

Yes, people in NJ can’t “hep” it — they have been big government junkies for as long as one can remember.


17 posted on 06/09/2008 7:20:52 PM PDT by Theodore R. ( Cowardice is still forever!)
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To: TruthShallSetYouFree

Actually, they didn’t change the law. They just ignored it. Torricelli was the original dem candidate, and he was caught taking bribes and being involved in so much corruption that even the dem voters in NJ were not going to vote for him. He was so far behind in the polls that the party bigwigs forced him to resign and replaced him with Lautenberg, even though the time period for doing so had long since passed. The NJ Supremes, who make the Florida Supremes look like Scalia and Thomas, allowed the last-minute switch, claiming that NJ voters should not be deprived of having a choice. So, the morons in my home state said, “Sure, why not?” and voted overwhelmingly for Lautenberg.


Yes, you’re right. Head gets foggy now and then.

It’s sickening. We’re not native to NJ and hoping to LEAVE.


18 posted on 06/09/2008 7:21:19 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: AmericaUnited

I don’t think the polls canvassing has reached the graveyards.


19 posted on 06/09/2008 7:21:20 PM PDT by Parley Baer
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To: Theodore R.

But for some reason they rejected HHH in 1968 and GA Jimmy in 1976.


20 posted on 06/09/2008 7:21:37 PM PDT by Theodore R. ( Cowardice is still forever!)
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