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The basics:

• Rutgers-Eagleton Poll shows Sherrill holds 45% job approval
• 29% disapprove, many voters still undecided
• Affordability, taxes rank as weakest issue areas among voters
• Poll suggests strong early baseline support but ongoing concerns about cost of living

Gov. Mikie Sherrill is earning solid early marks from New Jersey voters nearing her first 100 days in office, though many residents remain undecided while key concerns around affordability and taxes continue to present challenges, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

The statewide survey engaged 1,568 adults from March 27–30 using the Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.2%.

Sherrill’s overall standing shows more positive than negative sentiment, with 44% of residents holding a favorable view and 29% unfavorable; 24% have no opinion. Her job approval rating is nearly identical, with 45% approving, 29% disapproving and 26% unsure – indicating many voters are still forming opinions. She also holds the highest favorability among the political figures tested.

Sherrill’s report card

“Barely three months have passed since Gov. Sherrill has taken office, and while we see her continue to garner more positive reactions than negative ones, many of her constituents are still forming an opinion,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. “No governor can move the needle on the issues that matter most to New Jerseyans in just 100 days – especially against the backdrop of a hyperpartisan political climate and kitchen-table concerns like cost of living that have been building for years and will not yield overnight.

“But among those who have made up their minds, about 6 in 10 hold a favorable impression and approve of the job Sherrill is doing. These are solid baseline numbers, and the real test will come as New Jerseyans see more of what she can deliver.”

Her issue-by-issue grades reflect a mixed but generally mid-range performance. Affordability and taxes stand out as her weakest areas.

Overall grade:

A 13%
B 30%
C 19%
D 11%
F 14%
Unsure 14%

Issue-by-issue grades:

“Gov. Sherrill’s grades mirror much of what we saw as Gov. Phil Murphy left office, pointing to how difficult it is for any new governor – especially one of the same party – to make headway on substantive issues while still building out her administration and setting an agenda,” Koning said. “None of these issues have easy answers, and the grades reflect that reality and the surmounting challenges that have grown over time more than any judgment of her early governorship thus far.”

The poll also found mixed views of other political figures: U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, also a Democrat, is nearly evenly split (38% favorable, 33% unfavorable); while Democratic U.S. Sen. Andy Kim is viewed more positively than negatively but remains lesser known. President Donald Trump continues to receive strongly negative ratings in the state, with 61% unfavorable compared to 26% favorable.

The findings come on the heels of a recent Fairleigh Dickinson University poll that showed even stronger early support for Sherrill, with 58% of voters approving of her job performance. The goodwill suggests that while voters are still forming opinions, she enters the next phase of her administration with a strong base as expectations rise and more difficult policy decisions lie ahead — including her first state budget.