Jeff Bell

If you were among the registered voters in New Jersey who did not cast a ballot in November's mid-term elections, you are not alone.

Can you name the Republican challenger in this year's U.S. Senate race in New Jersey? The answer is Jeff Bell, but those who knew that are in the minority according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday, which also found that Democratic incumbent Cory Booker has a double-digit lead over Bell.

Considering that New Jersey has about 700,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans, and that the state hasn't elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 1972, you might expect incumbent Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) to have a huge lead over his GOP opponent -- but the race is tighter than many thought.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker leads his Republican challenger Jeff Bell by 20 points in New Jersey's Senate race according to the latest Monmouth University-Asbury Park Press poll released Wednesday, but a close look at the numbers reveals some red flags for the incumbent Democrat.