Governor Mikie Sherrill nears the end of her first 100 days in office with ratings on par with New Jersey governors of recent past and marks that indicate an electorate still forming its opinions of the new state leader, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

Now that Sherrill has assumed office, 44% have a favorable impression of her, while 29% have an unfavorable one. Both positive and negative opinions have each ticked up a few points since January as more New Jerseyans take a side, but a quarter (24%) still have no opinion on the governor and 3% say they don’t know who she is.

Sherrill has the highest favorability among the political figures included in this Poll.

Her first approval rating mirrors her favorability: 45% approve of the job the new governor is doing, 29% disapprove and 26% are unsure.

“Barely three months have passed since Gov. Sherrill has taken office, and while we see her continue to garner more positive reactions than negative ones, many of her constituents are still forming an opinion,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. “No governor can move the needle on the issues that matter most to New Jerseyans in just 100 days – especially against the backdrop of a hyperpartisan political climate and kitchen-table concerns like cost of living that have been building for years and will not yield overnight. But among those who have made up their minds, about 6 in 10 hold a favorable impression and approve of the job Sherrill is doing. These are solid baseline numbers, and the real test will come as New Jerseyans see more of what she can deliver.”

The Poll asked residents to give Sherrill an overall grade for the job she is doing as governor on a standard educational grading scale ranging from A to F. Thirteen percent of residents give her an A, 30% a B, 19% a C, 11% a D and 14% an F. Fourteen percent are unsure.

The same scale was used to grade various policy areas. Sherrill receives average grades across the board – some areas higher than others – with around 1 in 5 residents on most issues unsure of what mark to give.

Sherrill’s lowest grades are on the two most important issues that have been constantly at the top of New Jerseyans’ minds: affordability and taxes. On both issues, about 3 in 10 New Jerseyans give the new governor an F. On cost of living, 5% give her an A, 13% a B, 21% a C, 16% a D and 30% an F. Fourteen percent are unsure of how to grade her. On taxes, 6% give Sherrill an A, 14% a B, 21% a C, 14% a D and 28% an F. Sixteen percent are unsure.

On the state's economy and jobs, 8% give her an A, 21% a B, 21% a C, 13% a D and 18% an F. Twenty percent are unsure. On the state budget and government spending, 9% give her an A, 20% a B, 16% a C, 12% a D and 21% an F. Twenty-three percent are unsure.

“Gov. Sherrill's grades mirror much of what we saw as Gov. Phil Murphy left office, pointing to how difficult it is for any new governor – especially one of the same party – to make headway on substantive issues while still building out her administration and setting an agenda,” Koning said. “None of these issues have easy answers, and the grades reflect that reality and the surmounting challenges that have grown over time more than any judgment of her early governorship thus far.”

Sherrill gets her highest marks on crime and public safety, as well as transportation and infrastructure and education.

On crime and safety, 11% of residents give Sherrill an A, 24% a B, 19% a C, 8% a D and 18% an F, while 21% are unsure.

Twelve percent give her an A on transportation and infrastructure, 21% a B, 20% a C, 12% a D and 14% an F, with 21% unsure of how to grade her. On education and schools, 10% give Sherrill an A, 23% a B, 19% a C, 10% a D and 15% an F, with 23% uncertain.

Sherrill also garners good marks on healthcare, with 8% of residents giving her an A, 19% a B, 20% a C, 12% a D and 15% an F, with 26% unsure how to grade her.

Regarding other New Jersey politicians, residents are split on U.S. Sen. Cory Booker. Thirty-eight percent of residents have a favorable view, while 33% have an unfavorable view and 20% have no opinion. Eight percent say they don’t know who he is.

New Jerseyans are twice as likely to have a positive than negative view of U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (34% favorable versus 17% unfavorable), though half either have no opinion on the junior senator (30%) or don’t know who he is (20%).

As for President Donald Trump, 26% say they have a favorable impression of him, 61% are unfavorable and 12% have no opinion.

Results are from a statewide poll of 1,568 adults contacted through the probability-based Rutgers-Eagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel from March 27 to March 30. The full sample has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.