NJ Governor Christie an Even Better VP Candidate
Today, Governor Christie called a press conference to end all speculation. He will not run to be President of the United States. This is a good move on his part.
Christie, a Republican, who is only 49, has been the Governor of NJ for less than 2 years. He has made a meteoric rise onto the national political scene as a straight talking, fiscally conservative governor from a state that is very blue. He has gotten NJ’s house in order and has kept the unions from overrunning the state without having them burn down select parts of it. This is no minor feat.
But Christie has been the Governor less than 2 years and he needs to have a deeper resume than that to be taken seriously nationwide. The Republican primaries will be long drawn out battles with no assurance that he would survive the cut essentially ending any chance he may have to be President.
But being a Vice Presidential candidate, which won’t be picked until August 2012 will give him another full year as governor where he can stay above the fray of the primary season. He can also stay an important figure the entire time getting lots of face time on national TV.
More importantly, he can help any perspective Republican Presidential candidate compete in several states that current President Obama will absolutely need to win re-election in 2012.
Christie is very popular in NJ and could swing the state towards a Republican candidate. NJ has been hard hit by the financial turndown and is looking for more than just “Yes We Can” slogans.
Christie is also very popular in neighboring states like New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Delaware where he gets a lot of local coverage from the NY and Philly TV and Newspaper markets.
Let me be clear to use an Obama phrase. If President Obama does not win New Jersey or Pennsylvania or New York he will not win re-election in 2012. Christie can make that happen.
This is why he makes an even better VP candidate than a Presidential candidate right now and note that he would only be in his late 50’s if he was VP for 8 years.
Look out for 2020!
Christie for President 2020!!!
