Trump’s Approval Rating Soars Above Liberal Governor’s In Longtime Blue State

New Jersey, a state that has long been a stronghold for Democratic politics, is witnessing a shift few could have anticipated. In a New Jersey poll, President Donald Trump emerged with a higher favorability rating than Democratic Governor Phil Murphy.

The initial Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill poll for the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election reveals President Trump with a 48% favorable rating among state voters, while 46% view him unfavorably, and 6% remain neutral. Governor Murphy (D-NJ), on the other hand, has a 44% favorable rating, with 42% holding an unfavorable view, 12% neutral, and 2% not familiar with him.

“Governor Murphy is eight points more popular among women than men, 48% to 40%. The Governor has a 75% favorable rating among Democratic voters, dropping to 27% of independents and 14% of Republicans,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.

A majority of voters, 63%, believe their family’s income is not keeping pace with the cost of living. Meanwhile, 23% feel their income matches the cost of living, and 15% think their income is rising faster than the cost of living.

via Emerson College Polling

A greater percentage of women than men feel their income isn’t keeping up with the cost of living, with Kimball stating, “Women are about nine points more likely to report their income falling behind the cost of living than men, though majorities of both men (58%) and women (67%) hold the sentiment.”

Meanwhile, voters are evenly split on the direction of the state, with 50% believing New Jersey is on the right track and 50% saying it’s headed in the wrong direction.

Kimball explained the divide along party lines: “Perception of the direction of the state varies by party: 70% of Democrats think the state is headed in the right direction, while 64% of Republicans and 68% of independents feel New Jersey is on the wrong track.”

Millburn, New Jersey, USA – September 3, 2021: Governor Phil Murphy along with NJ representative Tom Malinofsky talk with local store owners who sustained damage and loss after tropical storm IDA.

When it comes to key concerns, the economy tops the list for New Jersey voters at 44%, followed by housing affordability at 21%. Other concerns include immigration at 8%, healthcare at 7%, education at 6%, and both crime and threats to democracy at 5%.

New Jersey’s political landscape saw a noticeable shift in the 2024 presidential election, with Vice President Kamala Harris winning the state by just 5.9 percentage points over President Trump. This was a decline from President Joe Biden’s commanding 16-point victory in 2020 and represented the closest a Republican has come to flipping the state since 1992.

The trend mirrored national shifts, with Trump making notable inroads among working-class voters across different racial and ethnic demographics. However, the question remains: is New Jersey truly in play for Republicans in 2028?

Trump’s popularity is reaching new highs as he completes his first week in office, with 50.1% of Americans approving of his job performance, according to a new Atlas Intel poll. While his approval has dipped slightly from 52% before taking office, it remains 6.4 points higher than where President Joe Biden stood in 2021.

Trump’s administration has moved swiftly, issuing over 100 executive orders on his first day, targeting federal bureaucracy and conservative reforms. Among the most popular moves are forcing federal workers back into the office (52%), mandating recognition of only two genders (51%), and reclassifying federal employees for easier termination (49%).