Quinnipiac Poll: 64 Percent of New Jersey Voters Support Marriage Equality, 60 Percent Support Christie

A new Quinnipiac poll shows strong support for marriage equality in New Jersey:

By a 64 - 30 percent margin, voters support a law allowing same sex couples to marry. Men support same-sex marriage 60 - 32 percent, with a larger 68 - 28 percent support among women. Support by age ranges from 56 - 38 percent among voters over 55 years old to 80 - 17 percent among voters 18 - 34 years old.

New Jersey voters say 72 - 22 percent it's a good idea to decide the same-sex marriage issue by referendum on the November ballot.

Also, strong support for Chris Christie:

Christie leads State Sen. Barbara Buono, his likely Democratic challenger for reelection, 60 - 25 percent, also continuing a string of 2-1 leads over the largely unknown Sen. Buono. Voters also say 66 - 25 percent, including 44 - 43 percent among Democrats, that Christie deserves reelection, also continuing a trend.

Slate notes:

What was happening a year ago? New Jersey Democrats had given Christie a gay marriage bill, and he'd vetoed it. Gay marriage is way down the issue priority list in the state (1 percent of people say it's the key factor in their votes) but it's a wedge issue that Christie chose the wrong side of.

NJ Governor's Office Clarifies: Chris Christie Does Not Believe in 'Gay Conversion Therapy'

Following outrage over his remarks on Wednesday that he was still on the fence about 'gay conversion therapy' with regard to a bill under consideration by the New Jersey legislature to ban it, Governor Chris Christie's office clarified his stance on the issue, the Asbury Park Press reports:

Late Thursday afternoon, Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts said the governor doesn’t support gay conversion therapy.

“Gov. Christie does not believe in conversion therapy,” Roberts said. “There is no mistaking his point of view on this when you look at his own prior statements where he makes clear that people’s sexual orientation is determined at birth.”

Christie's remarks on Wednesday that he was "undecided" on the issue had many scratching their heads:

[Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono], a Middlesex County state senator, told reporters that Christie’s remarks on the topic Wednesday in Stone Harbor were “disgusting” and intolerant because he didn’t oppose forcing gay teens into therapy, which critics say can be akin to child abuse.

“The governor said that he doesn’t know much about gay conversion therapy,” Buono said. “Well, I don’t know how much more you need to know to form an opinion. I was shocked at the stunning level of ignorance that that statement showed. The whole premise of having gay conversion therapy is based on the long-discredited belief that homosexuality is a form of a mental disorder that can be cured. That our governor would dignify that with the response that he gave is just shocking to me.”

As NJ Legislature Considers Ban on 'Gay Conversion Therapy', Chris Christie Says He's Undecided On It

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie does not have an opinion yet on a bill under consideration in the New Jersey legislature that would ban so-called 'gay conversion therapy', the Star-Ledger reports:

"I'm of two minds just on this stuff in general," he said at a news conference at Stone Harbor Elementary School. "Number one, I think there should be lots of deference given to parents on raising their children. I don't — this is a general philosophy, not to his bill — generally philosophically, on bills that restrict parents ability to make decisions on how to care for their children, I'm generally a skeptic of those bills. Now, there can always be exceptions to those rules and this bill may be one of them."

As is his practice with most legislation, Christie said he had yet to look at the bill and won't until it gets to his desk.

The New Jersey Senate Health Committee advanced the bill in a 7-1 vote this week following some powerful testimony, which included that of Jacob Rudolph, the Parsippany High School senior who came out to his entire class at an awards show in January. Watch it HERE.

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #1300

BROCK MCLEAN: Aussie footballer on supporting his lesbian sister in the Melbourne Pride parade.

UFOS: What's been hovering over Detroit, Michigan, and Indiana?

MARRIAGE NEWS WATCH: AFER's Matt Baume with the latest from Arizona, Hawaii, and Rhode Island.

CHRIS CHRISTIE: The NJ Governor mocks himself, munches on a donut.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Chris Hughes Has 'Serious Concerns' About Mark Zuckerberg's Friend Chris Christie: VIDEO

Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes sat down this weekend with ABC News' Abby Phillip to discuss a range of topics, including business partner Mark Zuckerberg's decision to hold a fundraiser for Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Hughes started by saying that what he loves about Zuckerberg is that he's so unpredictable, and then went on to explain that he has "serious concerns" about Christie because of the outspoken lawmaker's veto of a marriage equality bill.

"I, for one, have a lot of questions about Chris Christie, particularly because less than a year ago he vetoed a marriage equality bill in the New Jersey state legislature," he said. "For me personally, I got married to my husband last June, [and it] was just really personally frustrating."

...There are tens of thousands of couples in New Jersey that can't share their love and be recognized under the law because of that decision. I'm not a single issue voter, and I think most people aren't either, but for me personally, it would raise serious concerns about supporting someone like him.

Hughes was also asked about his plans for The New Republic, the long-running magazine he bought last year and currently edits and publishes, and according to Hughes, the only thing that will change is its scope.

"With the redesigned New Republic, we're trying to hold on to this hundred year old tradition of doing deep analysis on politics and culture. But we're also trying to broaden that and cover everything from technology to science to the world of ideas in a way that's really accessible," he said. "In a way that feels like it invites you in as a reader."

Watch Hughes speak about Christie, The New Republic and interviewing President Obama AFTER THE JUMP.

Mark Zuckerberg Holding Fundraiser for NJ Governor Chris Christie

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is holding a big fundraiser for NJ Governor Chris Christie, the Washington Post reports:

Zuckerberg previously donated $100 million to the Newark school system after striking up a friendship with Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D). Booker, Christie, and Zuckerberg announced the donation together on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” There has been some controversy over how that money has been spent.

“Mark and [his wife] Priscilla have worked closely with Governor Christie on education reform in the Newark school system,” Facebook spokeswoman Sarah Feinberg said in a statement. “They admire his leadership on education reform and other issues and look forward to continuing their important work together on behalf of Newark’s school children.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Feb. 13 event will be the first campaign fundraiser at Zuckerberg’s home. Facebook’s corporate PAC donates to both parties but currently tilts slightly in favor of Republicans.

Does that get a "like"?