Fewer than a quarter of New Jersey voters say “trustworthy” applies very well to Christie – down 20 points from October, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.

Still, more than half of state voters see the charismatic Republican governor, who is seen as a leading contender for the White House in 2016, as a “strong leader.”

“Trustworthy was one of Christie’s hallmarks, especially given voters’ normal cynicism about politicians,” said David Redlawsk, director of the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll. “Losing the trust of voters puts Christie into the category of an ordinary politician.”