N.J. election results: What exit polls reveal about Trump, Christie in Murphy vs. Guadagno race

Gov. Chris Christie and President Donald Trump received low marks for job performance among New Jersey voters in a preliminary exit poll. (File photo)

TRENTON -- President Donald Trump has a low job approval rating among New Jersey voters, according to a preliminary exit poll, but most voters in the Garden State say he didn't factor into how they cast their ballots Tuesday.

Half of voters said their opinion of Gov. Chris Christie dimmed their view of his Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, the Republican seeking to replace him in the race against Democrat Phil Murphy. Twenty-nine percent of voters said they thought worse of Murphy because of his history as a banking executive.

Just 32 percent of voters expressed approval for Trump's job performance, according to the exit poll conducted by National Election Pool, a media consortium.

Gov. Chris Christie fared even worse, with a 19 percent approval rating.

But 57 percent of voters said their opinion of Trump was not a factor in how they voted Tuesday. Twenty-nine percent said they cast their ballots in opposition to Trump and 11 percent said they voted to support the president, the preliminary results showed.

More than a third of voters said government corruption was the top issue driving their vote, while another third cited property taxes and 20 percent said health care.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez wasn't spared in the exit poll. Although he's not on the ballot this year, his federal corruption trial loomed large as jurors deliberated on Election Day. According to the results, more than half of voters had an unfavorable view of the senator, with a third holding a favorable view.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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