Bridgegate beyond ‘politics as usual,’ most say in N.J. poll

A new Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll finds that most registered voters in New Jersey do not believe the George Washington Bridge scandal is politics as usual.

Just about two-thirds of the voters surveyed believe that lane closures on the bridge for political reasons go beyond the boundaries of normal political behavior,” said Krista Jenkins, poll director. Only 20 percent consider it nothing out of the ordinary.

“It suggests that, even though we live in a world where New Jersey politics is often considered a full-contact sport, that this is something that people are not expecting,” she said. “They do see it as quite a bit different than what normally comes out of Trenton in terms of bad politicking.”

Democrats and independents are more likely than Republicans to believe Bridgegate is a serious affair, Jenkins said.

That could make it more difficult for Gov. Chris Christie to get bipartisan support for the initiatives he’s outlined for his second term, she said.