Poll: Voters say Gov. Christie deserves second term

• 69% of registered voters approve of the way Gov. Christie is doing his job
• He's getting high marks for his response to Hurricane Sandy
• Christie is expected to lobby Congress for federal aid

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's next election isn't for another eleven months, but voters in the Garden State appear ready to back the Republican.

Six in 10 registered voters, or 61%, in a Monmouth University/Asbury Park Presspoll released Tuesday say Christie deserves a second term. That's up from 50% in September.

The governor, who announced his re-election bid last week, is riding high after his response to Hurricane Sandy, which devastated parts of Jersey shore and ravaged other areas. The survey finds 69% of registered voters approve of the way Christie is handling his job, compared with 22% who disapprove.

Christie is expected to head to Washington on Thursday to lobby federal officials for money to help his storm-ravaged state, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Democratic governor was on Capitol Hill on Monday to seek $42 billion in federal funding for New York's storm recovery efforts.

Christie, a popular Republican known for his sometimes blunt style, has garnered national headlines since his election in 2009. He rebuffed entreaties to run for president, and became a top surrogate for GOP nominee Mitt Romney.

Despite his national ambitions, 61% of New Jersey voters believe Christie is more focused on governing the Garden State compared with 30% who say he's more focused on his own future.

"While the governor's political ambitions are no secret, his constituents feel they do not necessarily detract from pursuing what is best for the state, especially when it comes to recovering from Sandy," Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a Democrat, posted on Twitter this weekend that he is "definitely considering" a run for governor next year. He and Christie are friends and have worked together on issues.

The survey of 816 voters was conducted Thursday through Sunday. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points.