Christie's approval rating down across US

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's approval rating has dropped as "Bridgegate" and other scandals persist, a poll released Monday indicated. The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll of U.S. voters found 22 percent of U.S. residents have a favorable view of Christie, down from 33 percent in October. More people, 29 percent, have an unfavorable view. The poll also found 44 percent now believe Christie is not being honest when he says he was not aware of plans to tie up traffic in Fort Lee, N.J., by closing approach lanes to the George Washington Bridge. Christie's deputy chief of staff resigned after emails came to light suggesting she sought the closings to punish Democrats, presumably including Fort Lee's mayor. Since then, the Democratic mayor of Hoboken has said the Christie administration threatened to deny the city aid for Superstorm Sandy unless she approved a development project planned by a Christie ally. Approval of Christie has dropped more sharply among Democrats and independents, but he has lost significant ground with Republicans. Christie had been considered a leading potential candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.