February 20, 2015
The New York Times dropped a major piece in their Friday paper detailing a shift by some major donors away from Gov. Chris Christie, a potential Republican presidential candidate, in favor of his rivals.
Or was that the Washington Post?
Two stories on Christie’s problems attracting support appeared in the nation’s two leading papers. On the same day. They are the latest in a series of negative headlines the governor has had to endure over the past few weeks.
Among the details are that Christie’s friend Woody Johnson, who owns the New York Jets football team, was parting ways for former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the Times reported.
And it isn’t just major donors that are reconsidering their support for the governor. Polls also show that Christie has worrisomely high disapproval ratings. An article in Politico Magazine recently summed up one of Christie’s major obstacles in New Hampshire by saying that the only potential candidate who voters say they definitely won’t vote for in higher numbers than Christie is real-estate magnate and reality show host Donald Trump.
The first paragraph of that story, which provided a rundown of this month's headlines, was:
“Chris Christie’s had a terrible February. He fumbled a big foreign tour meant to make him seem more presidential, getting tripped up responding to the latest measles panic and giving an answer that made him seem decidedly unprepared for the national stage. His approval ratings in New Jersey hit an all-time low, and he faced new questions about a federal corruption investigation and his lavish travel tastes."
The election is still a long way off and Christie’s political skills shine when he interacts directly with voters. The Politico piece made it clear that Christie’s people believe that New Hampshire presents a real opportunity for the governor. Plus, in a crowded field of potential Republican candidates, Christie has never had to fight for national headlines the way others have.
