Governor discloses he had secret gastric band surgery

TreNTON, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie secretly underwent gastric band surgery in February to try to lose weight at the urging of his family, according to his spokesman.

The father of four agreed to the surgery, in which a tube was placed around his stomach to restrict the amount of food he can eat, after turning 50 in September, he told The New York Post for a story in Tuesday’s edition. He said he wasn’t motivated by thoughts of running for president.

Christie was one of the Republican Party’s most popular voices until he heaped praise on Democratic President Barack Obama for his response to Hurricane Sandy. But he remains very popular in his home state and is often mentioned as a potential 2016 presidential contender. His weight is the subject of constant discussion — from being a punchline for comedians to speculation about whether it could hurt a run for president.

Spokesman Michael Drewniak confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that Christie had the procedure in February.

“I’ve struggled with this issue for 20 years,” he told the newspaper. “For me, this is about turning 50 and looking at my children and wanting to be there for them.”

Christie has never disclosed his weight. But he joked about his size during a February appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, pulling out a doughnut and saying his girth was “fair game” for comedians.