Article snippet: Outgoing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose record unpopularity has become a key factor in the state's gubernatorial election, argued with a constituent this morning as he spoke with reporters outside his polling place. The fiery Republican, who logged a 15 percent approval rating in a late-October poll by Quinnipiac University, faced off with a woman who asked him why he had not used his time in office to merge the adjoining towns of Mendham Borough and Mendham Township. Christie resides in Mendham Township. "Because I can't," Christie responded in the exchange, captured by a reporter for The New York Times. "As governor, I can't. I don't have the authority to do it." New Jersey voters head to the polls today to elect Christie's replacement, choosing between Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Democratic former U.S. Ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy. Recent polls have shown Murphy with a consistent double-digit lead over Guadagno, whose association with Christie is frequently cited as having a negative impact on her candidacy. Christie's often testy disagreements with New Jerseyans brought widespread attention after his election in 2009. He frequently engaged in town halls across the state in which he raised his voice and scolded state residents in a fashion unusual for U.S. politicians. During his second term in office, Christie found himself embroiled in a scandal related to the politically motivated closure of lanes on the George Was... Link to the full article to read more