princeton n.j. new jersey governor chris christie bar state law run third consecutive four-year term year unpopular former republican presidential candidate remain central figure campaign replace voters head poll tuesday choose republican democratic nominees succeed christie whose approval rat hit historic low accuse spend much time state 2016 presidential campaign tarnish so-called bridgegate lane closure scandal lieutenant governor kim guadagno front-runner primary election republican side phil murphy former goldman sachs group inc executive serve u.s. ambassador germany former president barack obama hold solid lead poll among democrats guadagno election state first lieutenant governor alongside christie 2009 monmouth county first elect female sheriff like christie serve federal prosecutor christie absent frequently presidential campaign guadagno already spend months act governor also face criticism opponents base association unpopular republican incumbent result guadagno 58 try execute balance act distance christie issue like 300 million proposal renovate age statehouse trenton take credit state low unemployment figure situations second-in-command person enjoy incumbency advantage say brigid callahan harrison political science professor montclair university new jersey fact see exact opposite enormous unpopularity albatross around candidacy recent debate guadagno spar main republican rival assemblyman jack ciatterelli latter plan hike tax millionaires guadagno vow raise tax ciatterelli 55 criticize christie extension guadagno state repeat credit rat downgrade face budget problems late stockton university poll release last week give guadagno 37 percent support among primary voters ciatterelli trail 18 percent third poll however say remain undecided democratic side murphy 59 appear likely capture nomination significantly outspending opponents loan 15 million campaign money give advantage advertise strategy spend early often help eliminate potentially strong rival include state senate president stephen sweeney jersey city mayor steven fulop murphy also enjoy support new jersey national democratic leaders former vice president joe biden campaign week 21 new jersey county democratic organizations endorse opponents criticize wall street background campaign spend 34 percent support late stockton university poll much candidates combine jim johnson 56 lawyer former u.s. treasury department official former president bill clinton 10 percent poll run outsider candidate assemblyman john wisniewski help lead legislature investigation bridgegate scandal percent christie deny involvement bridgegate plot scandal continue dog two former associate convict november scheme close lanes george washington bridge 2013 punish mayor fail endorse christie re-election campaign wisniewski chair state campaign former democratic presidential candidate bernie sanders appear poise challenge murphy hillary clinton supporter leave state clinton easily defeat sanders 2016 fail garner groundswell support democratic candidates endorse fairly liberal agenda include 15 minimum wage marijuana legalization democractic primary winner seek tie republican nominee christie extension u.s. president donald trump christie among first prominent republicans back trump candidacy last year murphy final tv ad primary season air days tuesday election appeal voters stop donald trump assault value primary winners compete nov. election new jersey hold governor primaries shadow unpopular christie