Rutgers-Eagleton Poll

05/06/2026

NJBIA highlights new Rutgers Eagleton findings featuring analysis from Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. The poll shows that a majority of New Jersey residents say it is difficult to find quality, affordable childcare, and more than half view the lack of affordable options as a major barrier for parents who want to work.

As Ashley Koning explains, New Jerseyans across income levels, regions, and political identities recognize that childcare is essential to the state’s health and prosperity. She notes that there is wide agreement that availability and affordability are challenges and that state government has a role to play. Read more:

A new Rutgers–Eagleton Poll conducted for Start Strong NJ finds a sizable majority of New Jerseyans believes it is difficult to find quality, affordable

05/05/2026

A Bloomberg segment reposted by MBlip features commentary from Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, on the significance of the long-running “right track wrong track” polling question. During the panel, she explains that the measure is “a timeless polling question that we have seen over decades,” and that current numbers are “completely flipped on its head,” reflecting widespread public dissatisfaction.

Koning also notes that right track wrong track views are strongly tied to presidential approval and economic perceptions, two of the most powerful drivers of how Americans evaluate the country’s direction. Her analysis provides essential context alongside Bloomberg’s reporting on United States-Iran developments and the Spirit Airlines travel disruption.

Read more:

Bloomberg This Weekend | Trump Reviewing Iran’s Proposal, Spirit Leaves Passengers Scrambling mBlip / 2 days ago May 3, 2026From Bloomberg Markets and Finance. Watch this video on YouTube.The news doesn’t stop when markets close. Hosts David Gura, Christina Ruffini and Lisa Mateo bring clarity, ...

05/05/2026

The New York Times spotlights analysis from Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, in its coverage of a rare bipartisan trend: growing concern about artificial intelligence. The article reports that majorities of both Democrats and Republicans say they are more worried than excited about A I and its impact on jobs, privacy, education, and mental health.

The piece also highlights generational divides. As Ashley Koning explains, younger adults tend to view AI more positively, “but even their enthusiasm appears to be dampening” amid rising skepticism toward tech billionaires and concerns about long-term consequences. Her commentary provides key context for understanding how public sentiment toward AI is evolving.

Read more:

The growing unease over artificial intelligence is something elements of the left and the right can agree on in a polarized age.

05/01/2026

NJ.com takes a closer look at the first two polls rating Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s early performance, including new results from the Rutgers Eagleton Poll.
The Rutgers Eagleton Poll finds that 45 percent of New Jersey adults approve of the governor’s job performance, while 29 percent disapprove and 26 percent are unsure. The article explains how this compares with the Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, which shows higher approval but uses a different sample and timing.

The piece also explores why the numbers differ and how many residents are still getting to know the new administration.

Read the full NJ.com story: https://www.nj.com/politics/2026/04/breaking-down-sherrills-first-two-and-very-different-polls-mikies-world.html

A chat with the pollsters behind the first two public approval surveys on Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

04/29/2026

How does polling actually work? In this video, Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University, uses her homemade tomato sauce to explain what a sample is and why it matters. Just like one spoonful can tell you about the whole pot, a carefully selected sample can help researchers understand the views of an entire population. Ashley also talks about how this process shapes the work of the Rutgers Eagleton Poll.

Take a look at how she connects cooking and public opinion research.

04/22/2026

A new statewide poll shows that climate change is a major concern for New Jerseyans, especially when thinking about future generations.
The latest press release from the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University – Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, conducted in collaboration with the New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center, draws on the Rutgers Eagleton SSRS Garden State Panel to understand how residents view climate impacts.
Learn more about the panel: https://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/gardenstatepanel/

Ashley Koning, director of the Rutgers Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, notes:
“Climate change is not an abstract issue for New Jerseyans. It is something they are worried about in real and concrete ways… Residents are also clear about who bears responsibility for addressing it, placing that weight most heavily on government at every level, fossil fuel companies and business and industry.”

Residents express concern about effects on infrastructure, the economy, families, and local communities.

Read the full press release:
https://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Rutgers-Eagleton-Poll-Climate-Change-04.22.26-FINAL-PDF.pdf

04/18/2026

We recently reported on the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll findings on affordability in New Jersey. Now, our new carousel breaks down how each of those six major costs has changed for Garden State residents from October 2024 to March 2026.

Swipe through to see the full progression, including where costs have eased slightly and where, like gasoline and transportation, residents are feeling even more pressure than before.

"Even though some of these everyday affordability pressures have eased slightly across all New Jerseyans, the burden is still far greater for some more than others," said Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. "Across all six spending areas, nonwhite residents, lower-income households, and those without a four-year college degree consistently report greater difficulty and in several cases, they are seeing little to no improvement at all."

Read the full report:https://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Rutgers-Eagleton-Poll-Affordability-04.15.26-FINAL-PUBLIC-PDF.pdf

04/16/2026

Three‑quarters of New Jersey residents now give the state economy a negative rating, according to new findings from the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University Eagleton Poll / SSRS Garden State Panel.
A new press release from the Rutgers Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, released in collaboration with the New Jersey Organization for a Better State (New Jobs PAC) political action committee, shows rising pessimism about both the state and national economies.

Nearly eight in ten residents rate the national economy negatively, and more than eight in ten are dissatisfied with how the state is handling cost of living and taxes.

Ashley Koning, director of ECPIP, notes:
“The story here is not just that New Jerseyans are dissatisfied – it is that the dissatisfaction is spreading. Taxes and affordability have been chronic pain points for years, but healthcare and transportation have now crossed into net negative territory for the first time in our trend data, while education’s gains remain fragile.”

Views improve somewhat on education and crime, but dissatisfaction remains high across most areas of state government performance.

Read the full press release athttps://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Rutgers-Eagleton-Poll-Economy-and-Govt-Satisfaction-04.16.26-FINAL-PUBLIC-PDF.pdf

04/15/2026

A new press release from the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University - Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, using data from the Rutgers Eagleton SSRS Garden State Panel, finds that many New Jersey residents are still struggling to afford basic necessities. Learn more about the panel: https://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/gardenstatepanel/

While some everyday costs have eased since last fall, difficulty affording gas and transportation has increased. Education costs remain the hardest to manage, followed by utilities, housing, healthcare, and groceries.

Director of the Rutgers Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, Ashley Koning, notes: “Relief on everyday costs does not extend to the gas pump. The jump in difficulty cuts across every demographic.”

The findings also show large differences by income, race, gender, and region, with lower income and nonwhite residents facing the greatest challenges.

Read the full press release athttps://eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Rutgers-Eagleton-Poll-Affordability-04.15.26-FINAL-PUBLIC-PDF.pdf

04/14/2026

Dr. Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, leads InsiderNJ’s coverage of Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s early standing with New Jerseyans. As Koning notes, “No governor can move the needle on the issues that matter most to New Jerseyans in just 100 days – especially against the backdrop of a hyperpartisan political climate and kitchen‑table concerns like cost of living that have been building for years and will not yield overnight. But among those who have made up their minds, about 6 in 10 hold a favorable impression and approve of the job Sherrill is doing.”

InsiderNJ highlights new findings from the Rutgers‑Eagleton Poll, which shows Sherrill with 44% favorability, 45% approval, and “average marks across the board” on major issues. Residents give her higher grades on public safety, transportation, and education, and lower marks on affordability and taxes.

Read more:

Governor Mikie Sherrill nears the end of her first 100 days in office with ratings on par with New Jersey governors of recent past.