NJ governor's race: Latest poll gives Phil Murphy edge over Jack Ciattarelli
PARAMUS, New Jersey (WABC) -- Lots of eyes are on the New Jersey governor's race, and a new poll shows Phil Murphy with an 11-point lead over Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli.
Governor Phil Murphy is trying to do something that no other Democrat in the state has done for decades, and that is be re-elected.
But a new poll seems to suggest that he may break that streak.
The countdown to Election Day finds the candidates working hard to secure votes.
GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli stumped in Wayne Wednesday morning and declared the race is getting tighter.
"The other side starts calling you names -- that's a really good sign and Phil Murphy's been calling me all kinds of names. In six days, I got a name he can call me ... Governor elect," Ciattarelli said.
RELATED | Eric Adams, Curtis Sliwa trade attacks in final New York City mayoral debate
The latest poll from Monmouth University shows the sitting governor holding the edge.
Phil Murphy has an 11-point lead over his Republican challenger.
"This was always going to be Phil Murphy's race to lose unless something else happened, Jack Ciattarelli really was kind of just along for the ride unless he could find it at some type of inroad there to do it and it just didn't happen," said Patrick Murray of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.
The poll also finds that New Jersey voters are still concerned about the pandemic, the economy, schools and the state's high property taxes.
The tone is getting nastier with a video from conservative outlet Veritas showing two Murphy advisors claiming the governor will call for stricter mandates if re-elected.
The Republican candidate says the governor should reveal his future plans on those mandates.
"I've heard about the videos they need to be verified and if in fact it's true, I think the governor needs to come clean on what his intentions are," Ciattarelli said.
Governor Murphy said Wednesday afternoon that politics will never determine his pandemic policy.
"We've made every call based on science fact and data. We have not let politics ever creep into this and we won't," Murphy said.
The governor was also asked if the President Biden's sagging poll numbers were hurting his campaign.
RELATED | New York City mayor's race: How to vote early
"My own polls, or his polls just don't factor in. You know, we had the president here on Monday and I thought it was a home run," he said.
The next poll is expected to come out from the Rutgers Eagleton poll on Friday.
That'll be the last poll before Election Day, which is next Tuesday in New Jersey, where early voting has already started.
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a News Tip
