June 2, 2005 Poll gives Forrester lead; Schundler turnout may cut 11% gap
By Michael Symons of Gannett
COURIER POST
New poll results released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University suggest businessman Doug Forrester leads former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler in the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
While days remain before the Tuesday primary, even Quinnipiac's assistant polling director, Clay Richards, cautioned against reading too much into the results, which show 40 percent of likely voters back Forrester and 29 percent back Schundler.
"Double-digits is considered comfortable in almost any race, except maybe a Republican primary in New Jersey," Richards said. "With a low turnout, you can expect surprises, and it's really a question of who gets their vote out."
Richards said 42 percent of voters said they still may change their mind, 12 percent were undecided and 20 percent were backing one of the other five candidates in the race, Todd Caliguire, Paul DiGaetano, Steve Lonegan, John Murphy and Robert Schroeder.
Murphy, a Morris County freeholder, had the best showing among the second-tier candidates, registering at 9 percent. But Richards said none of those five candidates has a chance of making a significant showing Tuesday.
