Rutgers-Eagleton’s latest poll, out Friday, examines New Jerseyans’ feelings on a number of issues. Among them: the state outlook, quality of life, Gov. Phil Murphy’s favorability, and the candidates for upcoming statewide elections.

According to the results, 43% say the state is headed in the right direction, versus 47% who say it is on the wrong track and 11% unsure.

“New Jerseyans’ outlook on the state continues to be divided in these polarizing times, and positive views on quality of life here are at their lowest point in over a decade,” said Ashley Konig, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. “Partisanship significantly colors perceptions of both the state’s present and future, as it does most issues these days, with Democrats in a much more optimistic mindset than either Independents or Republicans.”

A ‘good’ place to live

Slightly more than half say the Garden State is an “excellent” (12%) or “good” (40%) place to live. That’s down from the last time this was measured in 2022. Meanwhile, 32% rate the quality of life as “only fair” and another 15% say “poor,” which is up from 2022.

Favorability

The governor’s favorability remains the same as in November, at 46%, while his unfavorable number jumped six points to 34%. Sixteen percent have no opinion on Murphy and 4% claim to not know who he is.

Senate race

Views on New Jersey’s U.S. Senate seat and primary challengers on the Democratic side reveal voters find incumbent U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is most unfavorable among the pack.

• Sen. Bob Menendez: 16% unaware, 9% favorable, 60% unfavorable, 15% no opinion
• First Lady Tammy Murphy: 38% unaware, 24% unsure, 18% favorable, 20% unfavorable
• U.S. Rep. Andy Kim: D-3rd District: 45% unaware, 23% unsure, 23% favorable, 10% unfavorable

“Sen. Menendez’s initial nosedive in favorability from November continues in these latest numbers,” said Konig. “His favorability continues to trail both Andy Kim’s and Tammy Murphy’s, and while his challengers need to gain ground in terms of name recognition, Menendez has the much harder task of reversing the negativity surrounding him if he decides to stay in the race.”

Gubernatorial election

On the 2025 governor’s race, all candidates struggled with familiarity.

Democratic side:

• Former Senate President Steve Sweeney: 39% don’t know him, 27% no opinion, 15% favorable, 19% unfavorable
• Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop: 57% don’t know him, 25% no opinion, 11% favorable, 8% unfavorable

Republican side:

• Former gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli: 39% unaware, 26% undecided, 19% favorable, 16% unfavorable
• State Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-21st District: 66% don’t know him, 20% unsure, 8% favorable, 6% unfavorable

“Despite their prominent roles in New Jersey politics, Bramnick, Ciattarelli, Fulop, and Sweeney are mostly unknown to New Jerseyans,” said Jessica Roman, a research associate at ECPIP. “And we still have to go through multiple other elections until the 2025 gubernatorial begins to heat up and voters start paying attention.”

The poll surveyed 1,657 adults from Dec. 13 to Dec. 23.

The full results can be viewed here.