Poll: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Attracting More Critics

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A new poll finds New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie holding his supporters but attracting more critics.

The Monmouth University/NJ Press Media Poll released Wednesday puts Christie's job approval rating among state residents surveyed at 47 percent. That's the same as in a February poll.

But his detractors have grown in number. About 49 percent now disapprove, compared to 40 percent three months ago.

The shift reflects fewer residents who say they're undecided about Christie's performance.

Patrick Murray, Director of The Monmouth University Polling Institute, attributes the increase in the disapproval number to New Jerseyeans not seeing their property taxes going down since Christie has been in office.

"People aren't particularly happy with the budget, they weren't happy with last year's budget but they said that they could live with it," Murray told WCBS 880. "They could live with it because there was a promise at the end of the day that things would get better in the state, the finances would get better and particularly the property taxes would get better and I think that's what is holding back the governor."

Despite the national attention and millions of YouTube views garnered by Christie's many town hall meetings, just under half of those polled have heard about them.

The telephone poll of 807 New Jersey residents was taken May 12-16 and has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

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