Eighteen short months ago, when public workers by the thousands marched outside the Statehouse to protest Gov. Christie's ultimately successful plan to cut employee benefits, "Christie" was a four-letter word in union households. At one point, a union leader compared the gov to Hitler. Yes, that Hitler.

What a difference Sandy makes.
Yet another poll released today shows Christie has higher-than-ever approval ratings, due in large part to his handling of Sandy. Most interestingly, the poll from Monmouth University and the Asbury Park Press says that Christie has 52 percent approval ratings in public worker households.
Overall, two-thirds of the state residents -- and 69 percent of registered voters -- give him positive job approval ratings. In addition, twoconstituencies that have previously not warmed to Christie are also on board with the gov: Democrats (57 percent) and women (66 percent).
Not convinced that Christie's popularity has reached spectacular proportions? Last week, a Public Policy Polling survey had Christie beating Bruce Springsteen, the Jersey bard himself, 54 to 23 percent in a never-going-to-happen gubernatorial race.
Christie is running for re-election next year, and some Democrat (other than Bruce) will run against him. But who's gonna take on these numbers?