New Jersey voters give Gov. Chris Christie one of his lowest job approval ratings ever, as a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday morning shows that he also trails Democrat Hillary Clinton by double digits in a hypothetical 2016 presidential matchup.

Gov. Chris Christie
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"Hillary Clinton beats him 50 to 40 percent overall, and she beats him among women overwhelmingly, by 20 points -- 56 to 36 percent," said Maurice "Mickey" Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

Christie would clearly have some ground to make up should both he and Clinton decide to run, but the New Jersey governor still comes closer than other Republican hopefuls do to the former New York senator and Secretary of State. Clinton leads former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush 53 to 32 percent, and she has a 55 to 31 percent edge over U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

"Christie also doesn't do well in his measure of how he's doing as governor," Carroll said. "Forty-six percent approve of the job he's doing; 45 (percent) disapprove. It's the lowest approval rating for Christie since June of 2011, when he was 44 to 47 percent, negative."

A little less than 11 months ago, Christie won re-election by a staggering 22 points. Why are his numbers flagging so soon after that landslide victory?

"The news media continues to mention Bridgegate, and the reality of the state's huge pension problem is beginning to sink in," Carroll said, "and the pension commission the governor created will soon make recommendations and that ominous word 'taxes' is starting to show up in the discussions."

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