A new Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leads Gov. Chris Christie among New Jersey voters in a potential 2016 race for president.

Hillary Clinton
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Christie may be the tough-talking "Jersey guy" with attitude and a growing national profile, but Maurice "Mickey" Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac poll, said that doesn't mean Garden State voters want him to be president or even think he would make a good commander in chief.

"As Gov. Christie traipses around the nation, his presidential potential seems pretty much alive," Carroll said, "but here in New Jersey Hillary Clinton wipes him out. She beats him 50 to 42 percent."

The Democratic frontrunner has double-digit leads over other GOP hopefuls like former Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Female voters give Clinton a huge edge over Christie, and she leads with Democrats and independents. Christie enjoys widespread support among Republicans. There is a big difference when voters were asked their opinions of Clinton and Christie.

"Christie comes up just even, 47-47 percent; Clinton, 60 to 38 percent favorable," Carroll said.

The New Jersey governor has been long rumored to be a presidential contender, but he has yet to state publicly if he will or will not run in 2016. The new survey also asked voters what kind of president they think Christie would be.

"New Jersey voters tell Quinnipiac, 55 to 39 percent, they don't think Christie would be a good president," Carroll said. "Should he run? 'Yes,' say 46 percent. 'No,' say 49 percent."

In this year's race for one of New Jersey's two U.S. Senate seats, Democratic incumbent Cory Booker leads Republican challenger Jeff Bell 47 to 37 percent. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama gets a negative (44 versus 52 percent) job approval rating.

"Even in the true blue state of New Jersey, President Obama's numbers are in the swamp, and that's in a state that elected him and re-elected him and is overwhelmingly Democratic -- but it's not overwhelmingly for Obama right now," Carroll said.

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