TRENTON -- While a plurality of New Jersey voters blame education commissioner Bret Schundler for the state's loss of the $400 million Race to the Top grant last month, one out of three voters points the finger at Governor Chris Christie.

A new Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 49% blame Schundler for New Jersey missing out on the grant, while 33% blame Christie. Only 10% believe it's the federal government's fault that the Garden State failed to win the grant money.

Governor Christie fired Schundler last Friday for allegedly misleading him about whether his department attempted to provide the federal government with correct budget information during the grant application process. Due to the state's missing information on its application, New Jersey was docked roughly five points in a national competition it lost by just three points. But while Schundler admitted he made the crucial application error, he claims he gave the governor accurate information regarding the in-person presentation with the government.

Sixty-four percent (64%) in New Jersey agree with the governor's decision to fire Schundler. One in four voters (25%) disagrees with the decision. Another 12% are undecided.

While majorities of New Jersey Republicans (60%) and voters not affiliated with either major political party (57%) blame the education commissioner for the state's loss of the grant, a plurality of Democrats (47%) blames the governor. Still, 37% of Democrats blame the situation on Schundler.

A majority of voters (57%) in New Jersey still approve of Christie's job performance, while 43% disapprove. Those ratings show an improvement for the governor from results found in June.

Republicans overwhelmingly approve of the job Christie is doing, while 66% of Democrats disapprove. Most unaffiliated voters (63%) also like the job their governor is doing in New Jersey.

In April, just after Christie proposed an $820 million reduction in school aid to meet the state's budget needs, 65% of New Jersey voters favored a one-year pay freeze on the salaries of administrators, teachers and school workers.

Eight percent (80%) of New Jersey voters have been following news of the education grant loss at least somewhat closely, including 50% who have been following the story Very Closely. Only 17% say that have not been following news reports on the topic, if at all.