NJ Senate race poll has Booker with 10-point lead

TRENTON (AP) — A new poll shows a little-known Republican is closer than expected early in his run for U.S. Senate in New Jersey against incumbent Democrat Cory Booker.

A Quinnipiac University Poll released Wednesday shows Booker ahead of Jeff Bell 47 to 37 percent.

That result comes even though a big majority of voters, including Republicans, don't know enough about Bell to have an opinion.

Poll assistant director Maurice Carroll says he suspects New Jersey voters are wary of Booker because they don't have great feelings about Newark, where he was previously mayor.

Bell himself said earlier this week that he believes he was doing similarly well in earlier polls because New Jersey's electorate is upset with President Barack Obama.

(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed)