New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Gets Win With Trump Victory
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, widely mocked eight months ago for standing behind Donald Trump with an awkward look on his face, was back on stage with the Republican businessman Wednesday morning, sharing in the glow of his presidential election victory.
New Jersey voters chose Hillary Clinton and a Democratic challenger knocked out a seven-term Republican congressional incumbent, but Christie was the biggest winner of Tuesday's election in the state.
The Republican governor threw his wholehearted support behind Trump after ending his own campaign and was rewarded with the chairmanship of his transition team, responsible for filling thousands of positions and planning the first actions of the Trump administration.
"Governor Chris Christie, folks, was unbelievable," Trump said at his victory celebration early Wednesday morning, with Christie on stage. "Thank you, Chris."
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Christie on Wednesday said Trump's win showed that no one should be cynical about America. Speaking on the Laura Ingraham Show, the governor said the public is still in charge of America, despite it's ups and downs.
"It's just so gratifying that the American people were heard, and that's what I was thinking about last night," Christie said.
Christie, bruised from the convictions last week of two former allies in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing trial and experiencing record-low approval, could be again catapulted to the national stage. At the same time, the convictions and questions about what Christie knew about the lane closures could also complicate Trump's decision on whether to give Christie a job in his administration.
Christie denies any wrongdoing in the scandal that shut down approach lanes to the country's busiest bridge connecting New Jersey to New York and gridlocked Fort Lee. He was not charged in the case. His former deputy chief of staff and a bridge authority executive he appointed were convicted and another appointee pleaded guilty in the case.
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Also, a longtime Christie ally he appointed to lead the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the bridge operations, pleaded guilty to bribery this year.
"It's a little premature what it means for Christie because he's still in a doghouse because of 'Bridgegate,'" said Seton Hall University associate political science professor Matthew Hale.
Hale said it would be tough to imagine Christie getting through Senate confirmation for a Cabinet post. "Christie said himself people have counted him out before. I think that's probably true."
Brigid Callahan Harrison, a political science professor at Montclair State University, said Trump's win was a victory for Christie. She said he would have little reason to stay in New Jersey, where he faces extremely low favorability ratings, if he were offered a key post with Trump. Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno would take over as governor if Christie resigned to take a job in Washington.
Christie backed Trump in early 2016 despite the businessman saying during the campaign that the governor "totally knew" about the 2013 bridge scandal.
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Christie enthusiastically backed Trump, calling him a friend of 15 years and vouching that the businessman, who once ran a casino empire in Atlantic City that is now in cinders, could defeat Clinton. The governor was considered as a possible vice presidential pick, but was ultimately passed over for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Christie said in an interview before the decision that the bridge scandal was likely a factor in Trump's decision.
Much of the work the transition team has done remains unknown. Christie brought aboard longtime adviser and New Jersey Republican Committeeman Bill Palatucci along with former chief of staff Rich Bagger.
Voters in New Jersey on Tuesday also decided not to expand casino gambling outside of Atlantic City and to require that all of the state's gas tax revenue be spent on transportation.
All but one of the incumbent members of the state's congressional delegation defeated their challenges. Josh Gottheimer, a former Bill Clinton speechwriter and Microsoft executive, defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett in the northern New Jersey seat that includes parts of Bergen, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties. Garrett conceded the election Wednesday morning.
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