Gov. Chris Christie's approval rating among New Jersey residents has sank to a record-low 27 percent, according to a Monmouth University Poll out today — and his endorsement of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump might be a big reason why.

Gov. Christie speaks at Union County College
Tim Larsen, Governor's Office
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"It is the first time in his more than six years in office that the state legislature actually has a better rating than Gov. Christie," poll Director Patrick Murray says.

Not that the state's lawmakers fare better: Their approval rating stands at 29 percent.

Still, Murray says, "That is really saying something when the legislature is seen as being more effective than the governor."

The poll shows a slightly better rating among Republicans, with a 51 percent approval rating to 41 percent disapproval.

But his rating is dismal among independents, 65 percent of whom disapprove.

Among Democrats, 76 percent disapprove of the same governor who won re-election in a landslide victory that counted on endorsements from Democratic officials and political bosses.

"Those are not good numbers," Murray says. "When we asked New Jerseyans to look back over Christie's term as governor, by a 2 to 1 margin they say that the state is worse off.

"Another 34 percent say it is no different than when Jon Corzine was governor."

Murray suggests a lot of voters in New Jersey feel that they are being used as a career "stepping stone" by the governor, "and that is what these results seem to suggest."

He says "79 percent of New Jerseyans say that Christie is more concerned with his own political future than he is with governing the state. Just 13 percent say that he puts the state first."

Murray concludes: "You have two-thirds of New Jerseyans basically saying that the Trump endorsement was a way to try to get a ticket out of New Jersey as soon as possible for Chris Christie."

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5

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