Ciattarelli virtually tied with Dem competitor in New Jersey governor's race: Atlas poll

A new poll in the New Jersey governor’s race shows Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill virtually tied as the November 4 election approaches, marking the tightest survey of the race so far.

The latest Atlas Intel poll finds Sherrill at 50.2 percent and Ciattarelli at 49.3 percent, a difference of less than one percent and within the margin of error. The results indicate that Sherrill’s lead over Ciattarelli has narrowed significantly in recent weeks.

The survey follows an Emerson College poll released Thursday that showed Sherrill leading 50 percent to 48 percent, while polls by InsiderAdvantage/Trafalgar Group last month found her up by just one percent. Collectively, the surveys suggest the contest remains a razor-thin race.

According to Atlas Intel, Ciattarelli is performing strongly among men and independent voters but trails among women. He has secured 99 percent support from voters who backed President Donald Trump, despite previously criticizing Trump during his political career.

Ciattarelli leads among independents 54 percent to 46 percent and among men 59 percent to 40 percent. Sherrill, however, holds a 58 percent to 40 percent advantage among women. The poll, which surveyed 1,639 respondents, also showed Ciattarelli leading 59 percent to 40 percent among black voters, a surprising result.

The same survey found Trump’s approval rating in New Jersey at 47 percent, while Democratic Governor Phil Murphy has an approval rating of 43 percent.

Nearly one million New Jersey voters have already cast ballots either in person or by mail, according to Rasmussen, including about 514,500 Democrats, 279,000 Republicans, and roughly 177,000 unaffiliated independents.