Gov. Chris Christie's endorsement for Mitt Romney may be the nudge he needs to gain the Republican presidential nomination
Gov. Chris Christie, left, speaks as he endorses former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney in Lebanon, N.H. TRENTON — First there was dinner at Drumthwacket. Then came the phone calls. And then their wives joined them for a double date when Gov. Chris Christie hosted Mitt Romney for lunch at his house in Mendham.
And finally the courtship culminated Tuesday when Christie endorsed the former Massachusetts governor, delivering a new boost to Romney's surging presidential campaign and showcasing Christie's ambition as a Republican kingmaker.
Christie's decision — which came exactly one week after he said, once and for all, that he won't run for president — wasn't a surprise.
But the way it was done — so early in the primary process, with a media blitz in New Hampshire, where Christie stayed to support Romney during Tuesday night’s GOP debate — had the governor roaring back into the national spotlight.
"America cannot survive another four years of Barack Obama, and Mitt Romney is the man we need to lead America and we need him now," Christie said at Romney’s side.
Romney, who stood to lose the most if Christie had decided to make a presidential run, returned the compliment: "He’s a real hero in Republican circles," he said.
The endorsement gives Romney, who has struggled to excite the Republican base, access to top-dollar fundraisers and Christie’s political starpower. And it gives Christie a new opportunity to remain in the national eye while hitting the campaign trail in support of Romney, who is increasingly viewed as the likely nominee.
Christie said deciding to back Romney "wasn’t that difficult." Despite their differences in style — Christie is hard-charging and outspoken, while Romney is viewed as reserved — they’ve both been GOP leaders in largely Democratic states and gained prominence by focusing on fiscal issues. And some of Christie’s biggest financial backers have already lined up behind Romney.
"This was a natural one," said Lewis Eisenberg, former chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. "Both governors recognize that the most important challenge in the state and the country is creating jobs and growing the economy."
Christie said Romney did not promise him anything in return for the endorsement, and said he "can’t imagine" Romney asking him to be his vice president. Some in the party have also said Christie would be a good choice for keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention.
Tuesday’s endorsement will likely help solidify Romney’s lead over Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who some Republicans fear would fair poorly in a general election against Obama.
Former Massachusetts Gov. and Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, right, shakes hands with N.J. Governor Chris Christie after Christie endorsed him today in Lebanon, N.H. Romney is scheduled to meet other GOP candidates for a debate at Dartmouth College later this evening. "It certainly coalesces the field around Romney in a way that we haven’t seen before," said Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets and a Romney backer. "Gov. Christie is certainly the most influential person who actually didn’t enter the race."
Many New Jersey Republicans were waiting for Christie to endorse before leaping into the fray, and it can now open new lines of financial and organizational support for Romney.
"You’re going to all the county organizations support the governor’s decision and get behind him on this," said Keith Davis, chairman of the Atlantic County Republican Party.
Romney, who endorsed Christie when he ran for governor in 2009. was the first presidential contender to visit Christie at the governor’s mansion in Princeton. Christie’s longtime friend, state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), led Romney’s New Jersey campaign in the 2008 Republican presidential primary.
A spokesman for Perry, Ray Sullivan, tried to brush off news of Christie’s endorsement on Fox News, saying, "Well, that’s the way it works in this business sometimes. The northeast Republicans are sticking together in this case."
Christie said he expects to be be "very active" in supporting Romney, and he quickly hit the phones and the airwaves yesterday. He participated in a conference call with reporters, a teleconference with voters in 20 states and a televised interview with NBC. Then he accompanied Romney to the debate.
Christie said he’s urging "anybody who thought that I was the right candidate for president of the United States" to support Romney, whether "they’re a fundraiser, financial check writer, whether they’re a party activist, whether they’re just a regular citizen across America."
The media blitz showed Christie’s potential as one of Romney’s most aggressive supporters. At the press conference he gave a full-throated defense of Romney’s health care overhaul in Massachusetts, which other Republicans have portrayed as a blueprint for Obama’s own federal health care bill. Christie called the comparisons "intellectually dishonest."
Christie also said it was wrong to drag Romney’s Mormon faith into the campaign, saying religious criticisms are "beneath the office of the president." A pastor associated with Perry recently called Mormonism a "cult."
Christie also took a swipe at Republicans who say Romney isn’t conservative enough to be the Republican nominee, emphasizing that Romney has the best chance to beat Obama.
"You have no chance to govern if you don’t win," he said.
By Ginger Gibson and Chris Megerian/Statehouse Bureau
Star-Ledger staff writers Sal Rizzo and Christopher Baxter contributed to this report.
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