FDU PublicMind - August 30, 2006 Release

Background Memo

The most recent survey by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind was conducted by telephone from August 21 through August 27 using a randomly selected sample of 651 registered voters statewide. The sampling error for 651 respondents 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: Have you heard of [rotate list]? If you haven't just tell me. [If yes, ask:] Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of …? Would that be very or somewhat?

Bob Menendez
Tom Kean, Jr.

Question: Later this year there will be an election for New Jersey's U.S. Senator between Bob Menendez, the Democrat and Tom Kean, Jr, the Republican? So far, how much have you heard or read about this race…[READ]?

Question: If the election for U.S. Senate were held right now, and you had to make a choice, which candidate would you vote for… or … ? [If choose ask: “Are you sure or might you change your mind?” If “unsure” ask:] Which way do you lean…or…?

“Bob Menendez, the Democrat”
“Tom Kean, Jr., the Republican”

Question: Which candidate for Senate… or … is best described by…?

Bob Menendez
Tom Kean, Jr.
Honest, trustworthy
Understands the concerns of the average person
Has the background and experience to be a good US Senator

Question: Now, regardless of which candidate you want to win, if you had to guess, who would you say is going to win the election for Senate in November… or …?

Question: How strongly are your views of this Senate election influenced by national concerns, such as the economy or the military action in Iraq ?