From
NJ.com:
Independent voters turn the tide in N.J. race. 2 issues help Forrester erode Corzine's lead.
A clear surge in the support of independent voters for Republican Doug Forrester over the past month has recast the race for governor: What once appeared a cakewalk for Democrat Jon Corzine is now a sprint toward Election Day.
Forrester has cut Corzine's lead among likely voters to 7 percentage points, according to a new Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers Poll. The survey showed Corzine ahead, 44 percent to 37 percent; 18 percent were undecided.That's a significant change from last month's findings, when Corzine led 49 percent to 31 percent among likely voters and by 20 percentage points among registered ones.
A shift in public attention toward the race and away from blanket media coverage of Hurricane Katrina that hurt most Republicans has seemed to help Forrester, poll director Murray Edelman said. Plus, he said, Forrester is now matching Corzine in spending on TV ads.
"People are now seeing a Forrester who's really there: He's got his campaign and advertising in place," Edelman said.
Most of Forrester's gain appeared to be among independent voters, a coveted group among candidates that comprises about a third of the electorate in New Jersey.
Support for Forrester among that group jumped from 26 percent to 37 percent in the past month, the poll showed. Independents' support for Corzine dropped from 44 percent to 41 percent.
In addition to Forrester's gain with independent voters, he also has firmed his base of core supporters, Edelman said. Sixty-five percent of those who back the Republican say they are "very sure" they will vote for him, up 6 percentage points from September. Corzine slipped, from 66 to 62, among those "very sure" of their vote.
The strong showing by Forrester is part of a growing opposition to the status quo in Trenton, said Sherry Sylvester, his campaign manager.
"It's corruption. It's property taxes. It's New Jersey voters clearly recognizing that Doug Forrester means change for New Jersey," she said.
