GOP urges Christie to decide on ’12 run

By staff writer

The Boston Globe

October 2, 2011

Gover­nor Chris Christie of New Jer­sey should decide soon whether to seek his party’s nom­ination for the pres­idency in 2012, Re­publicans said on the Sunday televi­sion talk shows.
Christie, who has gained national at­tention for cutting govern­ment spending and chal­leng­ing the ben­efits of public workers in his state, may make a deci­sion with­in days, a Re­publican donor who asked not to be identi­fied said last week.
Gover­nor Robert McDonnell of Vir­ginia, the chairman of the Re­publican Gover­nors As­sociation, praised Christie for his record as gover­nor. He said he would be surprised if Christie decides to run.

“He’s an extraor­dinary communicator; he’s a great gover­nor,’’ McDonnell said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.’’ “I just think whoev­er’s go­ing         

to get in needs to do it im­me­diately. We have got 90 days until the caucuses start in Iowa.’’

Christie’s deci­sion could upend the race to                 

chal­lenge Pres­ident Obama next year by taking on the leading con­tenders, Gover­nor Rick Perry of Texas and Mitt Romney, a for­mer Massachusetts gover­nor.

Gover­nor Haley Barbour of Mis­sissippi, a Re­publican, said the spec­u­lation about Christie should not be seen as a sign of discon­tent about the oth­er can­didates for the nom­ination, and he pre­dicted that the GOP can win the 2012 election if the con­test is seen as a ref­erendum on Obama’s eco­nom­ic policies.
“I think it’s a to­ken of the regard that people have for Chris Christie,’’ Barbour said on CNN’s “State of the Union.’’
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