By Kate Zernike, June 23, 2015, Source

Gov. Chris Christie spoke at the Northeast Republican Leadership Conference in Philadelphia last week.

Credit Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has said that he will announce by the end of the month whether he is running for president. Among fellow Republicans at home, bets are that he announces he’s running around July 4, most likely on the Jersey Shore.

But a poll out on Tuesday reinforces how far Mr. Christie’s fortunes have fallen since Hurricane Sandy earned him and his fleece affection at home and nationwide. Among his own constituents, his approval rating keeps on sinking.

The PublicMind poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University found 30 percent of registered New Jersey voters approving of the governor – a low for the survey, with a high of 55 percent disapproving. (After the hurricane, for comparison’s sake, the poll found his approval at 77 percent.)

The poll has dug a bit deeper, asking respondents over the last two years whether they like the governor’s policies but dislike him, dislike his policies but like him, or just like or dislike everything about him.

The biggest proportion – 39 percent – is now at “dislike everything.” Among Republicans in the poll, another plurality, 38 percent, said they’ve grown to like Mr. Christie less since he became governor.

“The good news is that none of his potential presidential opponents have emerged with a decisive lead yet,” said Krista Jenkins, the director of the poll. “The bad news is that he is the governor in a state where a sizable majority give thumbs down to his leadership.”

– Kate Zernike