TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie will be awarded the Pete du Pont Freedom Award at a dinner in Delaware in September. The award, created in honor of du Pont, a Republican who was governor of Delaware and ran an unsuccessful campaign for president, has been bestowed four previous times. The previous recipients were political commentator George Will, former Speaker...
Gov. Chris Christie speaks at a Trenton press conference in this May file photo. The governor today was named as the recipient of the "Pete du Pont Freedom Award" and will receive the honor at a dinner in September.TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie will be awarded the Pete du Pont Freedom Award at a dinner in Delaware in September.
The award, created in honor of du Pont, a Republican who was governor of Delaware and ran an unsuccessful campaign for president, has been bestowed four previous times. The previous recipients were political commentator George Will, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and publisher Steve Forbes.
A small committee led by du Pont, who now works as an attorney and political commentator, selected Christie for the award. It also includes a $10,000 prize.
“Those of us in Delaware who value individual freedom enabled by smaller and less intrusive government have watched with almost hometown pride as Chris Christie has led New Jersey away from a government that was out of control," du Pont said in a statement announcing the award.
Christie has ties to Delaware, where he attended the University of Delaware, said Republican Charlie Copeland, a former Delaware state senator, who was part of the selection committee.
"We really admired what Gov. Christie has done to re-energize Republican politics," said Copeland, who ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for Delaware lieutenant governor in 2008. Copeland and du Pont are frequent Republican donors and members of the du Pont family which founded the company of the same name.
Proceeds from tickets for the award dinner will be used to support candidates "who value freedom, smaller government, and competitive markets," according to a news release announcing the award.
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