Newark Mayor Cory Booker easily won last week’s Democratic primary in his bid to replace the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg. According to a poll issued this morning, Booker now has a large lead against GOP rival Steve Lonegan, the former New Jersey chapter head of the wingnut Americans For Prosperity.
Booker currently holds a 54% to 38% advantage over Lonegan among New Jerseyans likely to vote in the October 16 special election. Booker has solid support among Democratic voters (92%), while Lonegan musters support from 79% of his partisan base. Independent voters split, 43% for Booker to 41% for Lonegan. ooker gets more positive ratings from Republicans (27%) than Lonegan gets from Democrats (5%). They receive about the same “net” score from independents: +22 for Booker (49% favorable to 27% unfavorable) and +23 for Lonegan (37% favorable to 14% unfavorable).
Lonegan has all the expected positions: anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-immigrant, anti-Obamacare, anti-gun control.