Chris Christie’s approval ratings rise in New Jersey

For a potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate who denies any chance of a run, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is remarkably popular. A new Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday shows 52 percent of New Jerseyans approve of Christie’s job performance, and 54 percent say his first year in office was a success.

That number is up from a December poll that showed the governor with a 46 percent approval rating.

Among Republican voters, 82 percent approve of the governor. With Independents, that number is 55 percent.

His standing with Democrats also hasn’t changed much – 66 percent disapprove of his job performance.

As Christie’s popularity rose, so did President Obama’s. According to the poll, the president’s approval rating is at 55 percent in New Jersey. That’s up from 50 percent in December.