The Republican who would be president
CHRIS Christie, the heavyweight governor of New Jersey, emerged as the undisputed early frontrunner for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination this week after winning a thumping re-election victory in a heavily Democrat state.
By taking nearly 60% of the vote — the same margin by which Barack Obama was reelected in 2012 — Christie took a big step up to the national political stage.
He wasted no time in pressing his credentials as a pragmatist and a dealmaker and used his acceptance speech to contrast his ability to cut deals with Democrats with the bipartisan gridlock in Washington that caused last month’s US government shutdown.
In his broad New Jersey accent, he said: “I know that tonight dispirited America, angry with their dysfunctional government in Washington, looks to New Jersey to say: ‘Is what I think is happening really happening? Are people coming together? Are we really working — African-American and Hispanics, suburbanites and city dwellers, farmers and teachers — are we really all working together?’
“Let me give the answer to everyone watching tonight. Under this government, our first job is to get the job done.”
His words were seen as a clear challenge to the uncompromising Tea Party wing of the Republican Party that is warring with party leaders in Washington. And it is the Republican Party’s leaders who see Christie’s brand of pragmatism as a better election proposition than conservative zealotry.
Christie’s position as the man who could win the White House was bolstered by his strong performance with women, young people and ethnic minorities— key demographics that Republican candidates have alienated in recent campaigns.
Among the numbers exciting Republican strategists was Christie’s capture of 57% of women voters, even though his Democratic opponent was female, as well as more than half of Hispanic voters and 20% of African-Americans — more than double his tally in his first election in 2009.
“This is a huge win for Christie and the biggest win by a Republican politician in New Jersey for a generation,” said Patrick Murray, a New Jersey pollster.
“These numbers are just what he needs for him to turn around and say he’s the kind of Republican that can win.”
Despite his frontrunner status, Christie would have to overcome several negative factors, Murray said, including his personal appearance — he weighs an estimated 127kg — and a hot-tempered style.
“He’s a master at controlling the message, but it remains to be seen if his New Jersey style will translate on the national stage. He can blow a fuse, and while that hasn’t hurt in New Jersey, do that in the cornfields of Iowa and that might be not so easy to shrug off.”
Christie’s pragmatic politics contrasted sharply with the ideological bent of Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican candidate for governor in Virginia, who lost out by 2.5% to the Democrat challenger, Terry McAuliffe, a top fundraiser for Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Senior Republican officials said: “The contrast is obvious. Christie is a guy that grows the party,” one said.
“The donors would not play for Cuccinelli because they saw him as too radical.” — © The