Democrat Robert Menendez

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Republican State Senator Tom Kean Jr., son of the popular former governor, is suddenly trailing Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, an appointee who has held the post for only half a year. Menendez now leads 46% to 40%.

Kean's support is holding steady. He earned 40% in our May survey and has been around that level every month this year But support for Menendez has jumped to its highest level thus far, gaining nine points over the past month. These gains have come despite the brevity of his incumbency and GOP charges of corruption.

With the early-June primary under his belt, Menendez enjoys stronger support now from fellow Democrats, attracting 77%—as opposed to the 59% he got in our previous poll. If the new numbers are more than post-primary bounce, Menendez is in relatively decent political shape now, even though his candidacy is not as robust as a Democratic incumbent in a Democrat-leaning state could wish.

As their party leaderships had hoped, both candidates swept aside opposition to win their primaries by huge margins.

Menendez is viewed favorably by 49% of Garden State voters, unfavorably by 35%. Kean is viewed favorably by 51%, unfavorably by 34%. In each case, about 15% of respondents are "not sure" yet what to think of the candidate.

Only 39% of garden-state voters like the job President Bush is doing. Fifty-nine percent disapprove, and 45% do so "strongly."

Governor John Corzine's job performance is approved by 50%, disapproved by 46%.

Given an abstract alternative, 45% of voters here prefer to see a Democrat as the nation's next President; 33% prefer a Republican.

The numbers break down differently, though, when particular Democrats are matched against particular Republicans in our poll. And Republicans are viewed a bit more favorably than Democrats. Rudy Giuliani is viewed favorably by 62%, John McCain by 57%, Al Gore by 46%, Hillary Clinton by 46%.

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Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.