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Republican Gov. Chris Christie and Democratic challenger Barbara Buono are running in the Nov. 5 gubernatorial election.

(File photos)

TRENTON — With three weeks before Election Day, Gov. Chris Christie continues to increase his lead over his Democratic challenger, state Sen. Barbara Buono, according to a Monmouth University poll out today.



Likely voters give Christie a 24-point — 59 percent to 35 percent — lead over the longtime state lawmaker. The lead is an increase from the 19 to 20 percent advantage he held in Monmouth polls released earlier this month and in August.



The findings echo Stockton and Quinnipiac polls released last week, which gave Christie 33 and 29-point leads over Buono. In both cases, the polls were improvements over their previous surveys.



Today's poll, however, also takes into account reaction voters might have after the first gubernatorial debate on Oct. 8. The Monmouth University Polling Institute surveyed 1,606 likely New Jersey voters from Oct. 10 -12, with a margin of 2.5 percent.



Just as troubling for Buono, 38 percent of likely voters have no opinion of her. Among those who do have an opinion, she's in negative territory with 28 percent favorable and 34 percent unfavorable ratings. Meanwhile, 59 percent have a favorable opinion of Christie and 29 percent have an unfavorable view.



Both candidates have the support of voters belonging to their parties, but independents prefer the Republican governor a 65 percent to 26 percent. Christie maintains a advantage over Buono among men (61 percent to 34 percent) and women (57 percent to 35 percent) as well as white voters (64 percent to 31 percent) and Hispanic voters (50 percent to 44 percent) voters. The only demographic where Buono leads is among African American voters (55 percent to 34 percent).



Christie opposes gay marriage, abortion rights and tying future minimum wage increases to inflation — all issues that earlier polls show the majority of the state's voters support.

Yet according to today's Monmouth poll, 62 percent of likely voters say that Christie’s views on issues are generally in line with most New Jerseyans, and 28 percent say his view are out of step with the rest of the state. Forty percent say Buono’s views are out of step compared to 34 percent who say they are generally in line with most Garden State residents.

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