Gov. Chris Christie’s term will be up in January 2014, which would mean he’d have to cut out early from his current position to run for VP. He was also the first to argue that he doesn’t have a personality suited for the second-in-command position.
But I guess if he could reconsider a presidential run back in September, there’s no reason why he can’t also reconsider a vice presidential bid:
The outspoken governor, who himself declined to make a bid for the White House and threw his support behind Mitt Romney last month, noted that for him to reject a vice presidential spot at this point in the campaign would also be “presumptuous.”
“Running for president, that’s my decision and [wife] Mary Pat’s decision alone. We decide that. Vice president’s the decision of only one person — whoever the nominee of your party is,” he said. “I think it’s awful to say I won’t do something when it hasn’t been offered.”
If Romney does manage to win the nomination, what would Christie bring to the table? Like Romney, he’s also a governor from the Northeast. He’s a white, Christian male, and wouldn’t help capture any crucial ethnic or religious demographic.
But tapping Christie for the VP slot could benefit Romney in a lot of ways: Christie’s a strong social conservative, pro-life, and a staunch opponent to gay marriage. And yet he isn’t perceived as threatening by moderate-to-liberal East and West Coasters, which means he could satisfy social conservative voters without adding unnecessary baggage.
Christie would also reassure fiscal conservatives who may not trust Romney to champion bold entitlement reforms and stand up to the left on budget cuts.
Beyond that, Christie neutralizes some of Romney’s biggest weaknesses. Romney is seen as a bit of a panderer, someone who doesn’t hold firm positions and can’t always be trusted to speak candidly. Christie’s brand of no-nonsense candor could help balance out these flaws.
McDonnell gives us everything that Christie can and secures Virginia.
ditto Rubio and gives us Florida–a critical mportant state–and Hispanics nationwide. n nand I say this adoring Christie and wishing he'd run for the top slot. n n