For the first time in over a year, the ranks of New Jersey residents who disapprove of Gov. Chris Christie have surpassed those who approve of his performance.

Public opinion on the governor remains closely divided. According to a new poll from Monmouth University/NJ Press Media, 47% of New Jersey residents approve of Christie while 49% disapprove – a gap well within the poll’s margin of error. But the trendlines show the governor holding steady with supporters while undecided residents are moving into the anti-Christie camp: since Monmouth’s last poll, conducted in February, disapproving respondents swelled by nine percentage points. Those with no opinion dropped by seven points.

The Monmouth poll is not the first to indicate some trouble for Christie. A SurveyUSA poll released last week found the first majority of New Jersey residents — 56% — voicing disapproval of the governor, as compared to 36% who approve of his performance. The SurveyUSA poll might still be an outlier, but the latest findings lend help validate the notion that Chrisitie’s popularity has taken a hit.

The budget battle might be driving the turnaround, at least in part. In the Monmouth poll, it is the single issue being tracked by the most New Jersey residents (86%). “Two years of austere budgets may be taking a toll on the governor,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, in a statement.

(Source: WSJ)