Democrat Amy Kennedy is leading Jeff Van Drew by five points in a national poll published this week.

Of the 12 congressional races in New Jersey this year, the Kennedy-Van Drew matchup in south Jersey’s CD-2 is attracting the most national attention. It’s easy to see why.

Van Drew, a heretofore rather anonymous Democratic House freshman, became a conservative hero when he switched parties and joined the GOP. This occurred during the impeachment saga, but before a Donald Trump rally in Wildwood, thereby allowing the president to trumpet his new convert before thousands of cheering fans. Van Drew also got a speaking spot at the Republican national convention in which he blasted Nancy Pelosi.

The Wildwood rally was eight months ago. Now it’s less than six weeks to election day.

The poll by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, N.C. surveyed 550 voters in the district on Sept. 14 and 15.
It found 48 percent support for Kennedy and 43 percent for Van Drew. The rest were undecided.

The Kennedy campaign, not surprisingly, trumpeted the poll, saying it shows that voters “feel betrayed and abandoned by Jeff Van Drew.”

The Van Drew campaign hasn’t responded yet  to a question about the poll.

The results of the House poll were consistent with the poll’s findings in the presidential race.

The president’s approval rating in the district was 46 percent and disapproval was 50 percent.

Similarly, the poll found support for Joe Biden in the district at 50 percent and support for the president at 46 percent.

The pollster, Public Policy Polling, has a “B” rating, according to Nate Silver’s 538-website.