Poll: Christie would trounce Booker, and Bruce Springsteen, in NJ governor’s race

{mosads}Matched up against Springsteen — who carries a robust 54-23 percent favorability rating — Christie led 61-25 percent.

While Booker is the favorite among Democratic primary voters, with 46 percent saying they want him as their candidate, the Newark mayor could be scared off by Christie’s commanding numbers. When PPP polled the 2014 U.S. Senate race, Booker emerged as the clear favorite to win that seat, so he may choose not to tangle with the incumbent governor in 2013.

Winning reelection would also give Christie a launchpad for a possible 2016 presidential run, although voters in his home state remain wary of the possibility. Only 38 percent of those surveyed say they want to see him run for the White House, while 44 percent say they’re against him seeking the Republican nomination.

Christie would trail Hillary Clinton in a hypothetical presidential race, 52-40 percent, although he is favored by six points over Vice President Biden and 15 points over New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Christie would be the clear favorite in the 2016 Republican primary, however. Nearly half of the state Republicans say he would get their vote, versus 14 percent for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and 10 percent for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.