Redistricting leaves him grim about most races
Gov. Chris Christie's public appearances on behalf of candidates have been mostly limited to the few districts where Republicans have a good chance of winning.EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — Chris Christie was in friendly territory — a Republican town in a swing district — promoting the ticket in one of the state’s most competitive legislative races.
But in this election season, his appearance in Egg Harbor Township trolling for votes was a sight that has not been repeated often.
Yes, the governor has enriched the state Republican Party by traversing the country making friends and influencing races. And he has held private fundraisers in New Jersey for a handful of Senate and Assembly candidates.
But faced with a redrawn map of legislative districts that makes a Republican takeover of either chamber unlikely, Christie — by far the state’s most recognizable politician these days — has made sure he is not the face of this election season, when all 120 seats are at stake.
At the Shore Diner on Tilton Road two weeks ago, Gilbert and Anita Klein were surprised and excited when the governor approached their booth.
"Get rid of Obama, he’s killing the country," Gilbert Klein, 86, told Christie.
But this courtesy call wasn’t about Christie’s national aspirations. Trailing him were two Atlantic County Republicans, Assemblyman Vince Polistina, a state Senate candidate, and Assemblyman John Amodeo.
"I’m going to work hard to get rid of him, don’t you worry," Christie said. "You’ve got to vote for Vince and John, too. They’re my guys."
The Kleins weren’t familiar with the two legislators. But Christie’s endorsement was good enough. "We don’t know, but if he’s going along with them they’ve got to be good," Gilbert Klein said.
Christie’s public appearances on behalf of candidates have been mostly limited to the few districts where Republicans have a good chance of winning.
"The legislative map is set up in such a way that it would be a big loss for the governor if he were to go out there and run a statewide campaign about taking over the legislature," said Patrick Murray, polling director at Monmouth University.
Democrats control 47 seats in the Assembly, and the Republicans 33; in the Senate, Democrats hold 24 seats to 16 for the Republicans. Political experts say only a couple of seats could shift in each chamber, not enough to change the balance of power.
Last Tuesday, the governor stood before more than 50 Republicans and handed them an issue — a court ruling sparing judges from deducting as much from their paychecks for health benefits and pensions as other state employees.
He also sounded an optimistic note, saying Republicans would "make history" in next Tuesday’s elections. Today he explained what he meant, noting that for most of the last 50 years, every governor but Jim McGreevey lost seats in the first term, so by comparison Republicans will do far better this year.
"If we’re not one of those administrations that loses seats, that even with this awful map that was foisted upon us by the 11th member then we’ll be making history," he said.
His earlier utterances had been more sobering.
"If we were to take the Legislature back that would be a tsunami," Christie said at a news conference weeks ago in Paramus, where he stood next to John Driscoll, the Bergen County freeholder chairman and a top Republican prospect to pick off the seat held by state Sen. Robert Gordon, a Democrat.
"‘Historic’ is all in the eyes of the beholder," Murray said. "If Republicans win one or two they’ll puff their chests and brag. If they win three they’ll claim a tsunami and say change is coming in two years."
Inside the Shore Diner just after the governor left through a back door, the Atlantic County Republican chairman, Keith Davis, said Christie was not trying to set low expectations, but realistic ones.
"I think you’re just getting more straight talk from the governor," Davis said. "I think he’s being realistic. Democrats won the map, and they wrote it and rigged it."
Rick Gorka, spokesman for state Republicans, declined to lay out the governor’s campaign schedule over the next week, although he said Christie "has aggressively campaigned with candidates across New Jersey and will continue to do so."
One event the governor is attending this week has been publicized — at least in some circles. On Thursday, he plans to be in Pearl, Miss., campaigning for that state’s Republican candidate for governor, Phil Bryant, who is heavily favored to win.
"Did I miss something and did we extend a district that far south?" Assemblyman John Wisniewski, the state Democratic chairman, said.
Statehouse bureau reporter Ginger Gibson contributed to this report.