Quinnipiac University Poll Finds JERSEY SHORE Is 'Bad' For The Garden State

The MTV show "Jersey Shore" is bad for the Garden State, New Jersey voters say 67 - 16 percent, including 67 - 26 percent among voters under 35 years old, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Voters say 71 - 20 percent that Gov. Christopher Christie did "the right thing" when he blocked a state tax credit for the show's production, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Again, there is little difference among age groups as voters under 35 support the governor 71 - 25 percent. All other groups agree with the funding block.

Voters also agree 78 - 17 percent with Christie's reasoning that taxpayers should not pay $420,000 for a show that "perpetuates misconceptions about the state and its citizens."

By a 69 - 9 percent margin, New Jersey voters have an unfavorable opinion of "Jersey Shore," with 20 percent who haven't heard enough about it to make a decision. The breakdown by age group is:

18 - 34 years: 67 - 20 percent unfavorable with 12 percent who haven't heard enough;
35 - 54 years: 79 - 8 percent unfavorable with 11 percent who haven't heard enough;
Over 54: 61 - 6 percent unfavorable, with 30 percent who haven't heard enough.
"Garden State voters agree overwhelmingly with Gov. Christopher Christie's decision to slam the door on Snooki, The Situation and the rest of the ‘Jersey Shore' crew," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"The show gets heavy negative ratings from New Jerseyans, including the seashore neighbors. They think the Seaside-based show is bad for the state.

"Although there have been legal arguments against his decision, voters agree that Gov. Christie was ‘duty bound' to do what he did."

New Jersey voters disapprove 52 - 43 percent of the job President Barack Obama is doing, his lowest score ever in the Garden State. Disapproval is 88 - 10 percent among Republicans and 60 - 34 percent among independent voters. Democrats approve 77 - 19 percent. There is a large gender gap as women approve 50 - 45 percent while men disapprove 60 - 36 percent.

Voters split 47 - 48 percent on whether President Obama deserves reelection.

Obama leads possible Republican challengers in an early look at 2012 presidential election matchups:

47 - 41 percent over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney;
49 - 36 percent over Texas Gov. Rick Perry;
47 - 38 percent over businessman Herman Cain.
"President Barack Obama is in the dumps in traditionally blue New Jersey, but he's doing better than Snooki, and fortunately for the president, he's doing better than this week's crop of Republican contenders," Carroll said.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez gets a 42 - 35 percent approval rating, up from a 39 - 42 percent score August 17. Voters split 40 - 38 percent on whether Menendez deserves another six-year term in the Senate. By a narrow 43 - 39 percent, voters say they would vote for Menendez over an unnamed Republican challenger.

"Sen. Robert Menendez doesn't have a 2012 opponent yet, but he ought to be watchful. His job approval and ‘deserves reelection' scores are pallid and even Democratic disapprovers are in the double digits," Carroll said.

New Jersey voters approve 46 - 37 percent of the job U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg is doing, up from 43 - 45 percent in August.

From October 5 - 10, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,186 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research.

For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201