Background Memo  

The most recent survey by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind was conducted by telephone from September 21 through September 26 using a randomly selected sample of 635 registered, likely voters statewide aged 18 and over.  The sampling error for 635 adults is +/- 4 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence. Survey results are also subject to non-sampling error. This kind of error, which cannot be measured, arises from a number of factors including, but not limited to, non-response (eligible individuals refusing to be interviewed), question wording, the order in which questions are asked, and variations among interviewers. All PublicMind interviews are conducted by TMR, Inc. of Cedar Knolls, NJ.  Professionally trained interviewers use a CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) system. Random selection is achieved through computerized random-digit dialing. This technique gives every person with a phone number (including those with unlisted numbers) an equal chance of being selected.

The questions included in this release are as follows:

Question:  Now I'm going to read a few more names... If you haven't heard of any of them, just tell me. [If yes, ask:] Have you heard of …? Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of …? Would that be very or somewhat?

• Bob Menendez
• Don Payne
• Rob Andrews
• Frank Pallone
• Bill Pascrell
• Rush Holt
• Steve Rothman
• Tom Kean, Jr.

Question: Now if Jon Corzine were to win the election for governor in November, he would have to leave the US Senate and appoint someone to the Senate to complete his term. If it were up to you to advise Jon Corzine, which of the following Democratic Congressmen would you say should be appointed to that Senate seat…?

• Bob Menendez
• Don Payne
• Rob Andrews
• Frank Pallone
• Bill Pascrell
• Rush Holt
• Steve Rothman

see also:
Survey Analysis
Democratic Analysis
Republican Analysis
Tabular Results