Christie Stumps For Poll-Leading Runyan

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. - Over in New Jersey, the 3rd Congressional District race looks to be headed for a photo-finish.

Fox 29 Political Reporter Bruce Gordon said the Republican challenger is on a roll.

Jon Runyan, the former Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman, is looking to pancake the Democratic incumbent John Adler come Election Day, and a brand new poll suggests he just might do it.

Stockton-Zogby shows Runyan having overtaken Adler by 3 percentage points, still within the margin of error, after months of trailing the race.

There remain lots of undecideds out there, but this is the first major poll to show Runyan in the lead.

The challenger got some big name help on the trail Friday as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie rallied with the candidate at Runyan's campaign headquarters in Mount Laurel.

The governor's father is actually a phone bank volunteer for Runyan.

Gordon reported that everyone stayed on script at Friday's event, with Christie taking shots at Adler and Runyan urging supporters to keep at it till the polls close.

"There's nothing moderate about John Adler's record," Christie said. "John Adler's record, for better or for worse, is that of someone who is a career politician, who has voted with Jon Corzine and Jim McGreevey and Dick Codey 99 percent of the time – voted with Nancy Pelosi 90% of the time. This is not a moderate, ladies and gentlemen. Don't let him fool you."

"For my first run in politics, I'm truly humbled by all of the energy and all of the support you have given me. It's been awesome," Runyan said. " We know it's not going to be easy. But you know what? I think I'm up to the challenge."

Those comments from Christie are particularly pointed. The New Jersey 3rd is a district that historically leans a bit to the right, and Adler, the Democrat, has spent lots of time this campaign season distancing himself from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama's health care bill, for example.

Fox 29 News asked for a few minutes with the incumbent Friday to get his thoughts on the race, but we were told Adler was unavailable.