Poll: NJ Voters Say Christie VP Nod Is Likely [AUDIO]

New Jersey voters say its very likely that Governor Christie will get a vice presidential nod by the republican nominee, but a majority feel he doesn’t have the right kind of personality to be vice president, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. A total of 55 percent of New Jersey voters, including 60 percent of Republicans, say it is “very likely” or “somewhat likely” that Gov. Christopher Christie will be selected by the Republican presidential nominee to be his running mate, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. But 68 percent of voters agree with Gov. Christie that he does not have the “right kind of personality to be vice president.”

Christie gets a 53 – 39 percent job approval rating and “B” and “C” mid-term grades. This compares to a 56 – 38 percent approval rating in a November 16, 2011, survey by Quinnipiac and a 58 – 38 percent mark October 12, right after Gov. Christie said New Jersey voters were “stuck” with him because he wasn’t running for president.

In today’s survey, approval is 87 – 9 percent among Republicans and 54 – 37 percent among independent voters while Democrats disapprove 64 – 25 percent. Men approve 60 – 34 percent while women approve 47 – 43 percent.

Grading Christie at the half-way point in his first term, New Jersey voters say:

A – 20 percent;

B – 31 percent;

C – 23 percent;

D – 14 percent;

F – 12 percent.

“Gov. Christopher Christie for VP? A majority think he might get it, but a much larger number agree with the Gov when he says he’s not right for the job,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

“Gov. Christopher Christie gave himself a mid-term ‘B-plus.’ But New Jersey voters are evenly split as about half give him an ‘A’ or ‘B,’ while half give him a ‘C’ or worse. His overall job approval holds just above 50 percent and 55 percent of New Jerseyans like him personally,” Carroll said.

Christie’s out-of-state campaigning for Republican front-runner Mitt Romney makes no difference to the way 65 percent of New Jersey voters think of their governor, while 7 percent think more favorably of him because of this campaigning and 27 percent, including 37 percent of Democrats, think less favorably.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leads the Republican presidential primary pack with 41 percent, followed by 15 percent for former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, 14 percent for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, 12 percent for Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul and 2 percent for Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

President Barack Obama tops Romney 48 – 38 percent, including 42 – 36 percent among independent voters.

New Jersey voters give Obama a split 49 – 48 percent job approval rating and say 49 – 46 percent he deserves to be reelected.

“President Barack Obama’s job approval in blue New Jersey is anemic, to say the least, but he’s doing better than the other guys, and that’s what counts. Let’s see what shapes up once the Republicans rally around one candidate,” Carroll said.

New Jersey voters say 45 – 38 percent that U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez deserves reelection and give him a 42 – 39 percent job approval rating. Menendez beats an unnamed Republican challenger 46 – 35 percent. These numbers are largely unchanged for months.

Voters give U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg a split 42 – 43 percent job approval rating. “Sen. Robert Menendez’s numbers are tepid, but voters prefer him to a generic Republican,” Carroll said.