Christie Enjoying 56 Percent Approval Rating

Second term looking increasingly likely

NEW YORK, Oct 17 (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie enjoys a 56 percent approval rating and is positioned to edge out a Democratic challenger if he runs for a second term next year, according to a Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday.

In match-ups with potential Democratic challengers, Christie holds a 46 to 42 percent advantage over Newark Mayor Cory Booker and tops State Senator Richard Codey 47 to 41 percent, the poll found.

"A sneak peak at the 2013 election for governor shows Newark Mayor Cory Booker could give Governor Christie a run for his money, if the mayor decides to run," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.