Electricity prices and housing costs are pushing the New Jersey gubernatorial campaign into a neck-and-neck race.
Polling from Emerson College last week found Republican nominee Jack Ciattarelli tied with Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill. Both are polling at 43-43, with 11 percent of voters undecided. Previous public polling has shown Sherrill with a slight lead.
In a campaign already focused on affordability, high energy costs have emerged as a breakout issue. Both candidates have hammered the state’s spiking utilities bills. The Emerson poll found that the economy and affordable housing rank together as the top issue for about two-thirds of voters.
Advertisement
“We were not expecting this,” said Matt Taglia, Emerson’s senior director of polling.
