Gov. Phil Murphy’s favorability rating is enjoying a dramatic upswing. A new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released Thursday shows 47% of residents have a favorable opinion of the governor. That’s a double-digit increase compared to six months ago when he took a hit in the same poll, with just a 33% favorability rating. About half of New Jerseyans, 54%, continue to approve of the job he’s doing as governor. That number is holding steady, ticking up from 49% in the spring.
Ashley Koning, director of the Rutgers Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, said the changes are driven by increased positivity among Democrats and Independents, while the fatigue from his gubernatorial election and the pandemic appear to be wearing off.
Despite the positivity toward Gov. Murphy, the same poll finds state residents surveyed are evenly divided on where the state is headed. Some 48% believe New Jersey is heading in the right direction while 45% say it’s on the wrong track.
