As Newark heads toward a mayoral election in May, InsiderNJ obtained a citywide campaign poll of 455 land-lined likely municipal election voters, which shows Mayor Ras Baraka receiving a 67% excellent or good rating, compared to 31% of voters who checked “poor” and 2% who don’t know.

In a head-to-head matchup; Baraka trounces Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins: 72-15%.

Baraka has a favorable rating of 77%, compared to 40% for Chaneyfield Jenkins, according to the poll. Fifteen percent have a negative view of the mayor, and 13% have a negative view of his challenger. The same poll gives former Mayor Sharpe James a 60% approval rating against 25% who disapprove.

The poll shows Baraka receiving his best numbers in the Central Ward, home ward of his rival,  Chaneyfield Jenkins.

Baraka receives an excellent/good rating from 75% of Central Ward respondents; compared to 25% who give him a poor rating.

Other wards:

The East: 56-43%

The North: 58-42%

The South: 69-30%

The West: 70-27%.

The poll shows that 67% of those polled believe the city is headed in the right direction, 14% believe it is going in the wrong direction, and 19% are undecided or refused to answer.

The poll shows Governor Phil Murphy with a 65% approval rating in Newark, compared to 6% disapproval.

Charter schools: 59-27%.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker: 80-17%.

The poll has a margin of error of plus 4.57 percent.