Chris Christie Mitt Romney
Chris Christie Mitt Romney_ New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie today endorsed Mitt Romney for the GOP presidential nomination, giving the former Massachusetts governor a major boost just hours before a debate focused on the economy.
Christie, a popular GOP politician who resisted repeated entreaties to join the 2012 race, said Romney's combination of private-sector and government experience makes him the most qualified to be president.
He is "the best person to articulate Republican values and defeat Barack Obama in 2012, " Christie said, standing beside Romney at a news conference in New Hampshire.
Romney, who has reclaimed the top spot in national polls on the race, said he was pleased to have Christie join his team. He called the first-term governor a "hero" who is "forthright" and has a following across the country. These Christie followers could help Romney consolidate support, especially among fiscal conservatives and Tea Party activists who have been drawn to Christie's budget cutting in New Jersey.
Christie swatted down one of the arguments most frequently used against Romney, saying it is "intellectually dishonest" to compare the Massachusetts health care law signed by Romney with the federal law enacted by President Obama. Both contain a health insurance mandate, which Christie said he opposes on the federal level. But the New Jersey governor said Romney did what he felt was best for his own state.
"Each state should make decisions about what works best for them," Christie said, adding that Romney "stood up for what he believed."
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, another leading GOP candidate for the nomination, has frequently compared "Romneycare" to "Obamacare" and dubbed Romney "Obama-lite."
Perry spokesman Ray Sullivan played down the importance of the Christie endorsement, saying the Texas governor is the only GOP hopeful "with a proven record" on job creation and the economy. "Gov. Perry has the utmost respect for Gov. Christie and looks forward to his help unseating President Obama next year," Sullivan said.
Last week, Christie shut the door for good on his own 2012 race for the White House, saying "now is not my time." He had been saying for much of the year that he was not ready to seek the presidency and did not feel in his heart that he had the passion needed for a national campaign.
Christie's coveted endorsement could be a game-changer in the GOP race and help cement Romney atop the field. Romney, making his second White House bid, started the year as the prohibitive front-runner for the nomination but faded as Republicans considered Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and then Perry as alternatives.
As Perry stumbled in recent debates and took hits for his stance on illegal immigration, Romney regained his footing. He has been announcing endorsements from members of Congress and top Republicans, such as former senators Judd Gregg in New Hampshire and Mel Martinez in Florida, who hold sway in the early nominating states.
Christie implied that Romney's previous experience in running a national campaign was also in his favor, as he dismissed candidates who decide "on the back of an envelope" or with little experience to run for the White House. One such example, he said, was Barack Obama in 2008.
"Mitt Romney says, 'I hope I can win the White House, I know I'm ready,' " the New Jersey governor said.
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source: wbir
