Exit Polls: It's Still The Economy
The first, early exit poll results from NJ and VA are now trickling in from various media outlets.
NJ voters ranked the economy and jobs as their No. 1 issue, with 31% of voters telling pollsters that issue mattered most to them. The No. 2 issue was property taxes (26%), and corruption (20%) was No. 3. Polling has shown the focus on property taxes and corruption are stronger areas for ex-U.S. Atty Chris Christie (R) than for Gov. Jon Corzine (D). Health care was No. 4 with 18%.
In VA, the economy and jobs (46%) far outpaced health care (25%), taxes (14%) and transportation (8%).
A majority of voters in both states said, for the most part, that Pres. Obama wasn't a factor in their vote. In NJ, 60% said Obama's support of Corzine didn't play a role either way, which 55% of VA voters said they didn't consider Obama's embrace of state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) when deciding how to vote.
Of voters who said Obama's support did play a role, 19% of NJ voters said they were voting to support Obama, while 20% said they were voting to oppose him. In VA, 18% were seeking to support Obama while 24% voted as an expression of opposition to Obama.
Polls close in VA at 7 p.m. EST, while voting continues until 8 p.m. EST in NJ.
(STEVEN SHEPARD)