Cory Booker polls a lot better than Sen. Lautenberg

By Richard K. Barry

A Quinnipiac University poll finds that Newark Mayor Cory Booker is well ahead of Sen. Frank Lautenberg in a, for now, hypothetical head-to-head matchup for the Democratic Senate nomination in New Jersey in 2014. Booker leads incumbent Lautenberg by a margin of 51 to 30 percent:

New Jersey voters approve 50 - 34 percent of the job Sen. Lautenberg is doing, but say 45 - 36 percent he does not deserve to be reelected.

Only 21 percent of voters say Lautenberg's age gives him the wisdom and experience to do a good job as a U.S. Senator, while 71 percent say his age makes the work too difficult.

Lautenberg gets a 42 - 32 percent favorability rating, compared to 54 - 16 percent for Booker. Booker gets a higher likability score among every group measured.

This no doubt puts Booker in a tough situation as he contemplates how to push Lautenberg, who would be 91 years old at the start of a next term, to the curb. 

For his part, the incumbent recently suggested Booker deserved a "spanking" for openly scheming for the New Jersey Senate seat. Still, Lautenberg has not signaled what he will do, while Booker has all but said he intends to run. 

Some people may think it's unbecoming, but we live in a democracy and anyone is allowed to take anyone else on if they are legally qualified and so choose.