Report: Chris Christie Will Not Run For President

NEWS & VIEWS

The New Jersey governor is scheduled to make the announcement at a 1pm news conference from state capitol.

By Jeff Schwachter

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Oct. 4, 2011

UPDATE: Video from Tuesday's press conference. "Now is not my time."

ATLANTIC CITY — The New York Times, CNN and other major news sources are reporting Tuesday morning, Oct. 4, that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) will not seek the Republican nomination for the 2012 U.S, Presidential election.

A post on the New York Times' "The Caucus" blog reports that, according to two associates of Christie, that "the governor would not pursue the Republican nomination."

Christie is expected to make the announcement at a 1pm news conference in Trenton this afternoon.

According to the Times, "The decision ends a late flurry of indecision on the part of Mr. Christie, who had been encouraged by a growing number of Republican donors and activists who had hoped he would add his name to the field of candidates vying to challenge President Obama."

Christie was elected governor of New Jersey in 2009 and has since, despite encouragement from fellow Republicans, said that "he did not feel ready to pursue the presidency. At one point, he joked that he would have to commit suicide to convince people he was not running," according to the Times.

The report adds that, "Mr. Christie, through an associate, advised at least two top Republican Party officials in Washington on Tuesday morning of his intention not to run."

On Monday, Oct. 3, Atlantic City Weekly's blog "Atlantic City Central," included a post called "Could Christie Nomination Hurt Atlantic City?"

In the post, a Newark Star-Ledger piece from Monday afternoon was discussed with regard to how a possible run for president by Christie could negatively effect Atlantic City.

Here is the post in its entirety:

In a story called "Possible Chris Christie presidential run could slow Atlantic City redevelopment," Christie's rumored plans to possibly throw his hat into the GOP ring of presidential hopefuls is discussed with regard to redevelopment plans of Atlantic City.

Plans that Christie ordered when he initially took to the podium across from Boardwalk Hall on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in the summer of 2010 (see photos) , and which he again stressed during a galvanizing speech at the site of the resort's first new casino since Borgata — Revel — this past summer, and when he announced a new head of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) on Sept. 7 of this year.

"Private investors might hesitate to spend up to hundreds of millions of dollars into plans to redevelop Atlantic City if Gov. Chris Christie seeks the Oval Office, according to a report on NorthJersey.com," reads the Star-Ledger piece.

"The revitalization of Atlantic City has been one of Christie's main priorities since taking office last year, and he's aimed to attract private funding to advance stalled projects. But if Christie engages in a cross-country campaign for president — or is elected — the confidence investors have in the state's commitment to Atlantic City and similar initiatives will fade away, the report said," the piece continues.

The story, which went online Monday afternoon, Oct. 3, also quotes James Kehoe, the chairman of the CRDA: "The bottom line here is, would we be better off as far as completing these projects if Christie remains in New Jersey? The answer's yes."

The report from NorthJersey.com also states that "confidence won't be replaced even if Lt. Gov. Kim Gaudagno assumes the governorship in Christie's absence, despite her pro-business record," according to the article.

If Christie were to jump into the national political (circus) ring, there is a chance that progression with regard to his planned Tourism District in Atlantic City — for which the CRDA just awarded a contract to Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle Americas to create a master plan by February 2012 — might get held up during any gubernatorial transition.

There is also a chance that Christie may lose — to either another Republican presidential hopeful or to President Obama in 2012.

More from the New York Times article from Tuesday, Oct. 4, morning:

"The pressure on Mr. Christie to run reflected in part the unease among some in the Republican Party that they do not have a candidate who can beat Mr. Obama in the fall. Those urging him to run said they believed his tough-talking style and blunt approach to governing would contrast well with the president.

"But Mr. Christie’s moderate views on gun control, climate change and immigration would likely have been issues for him in the primary campaign, especially in places where conservatives make up a large share of the voters.

"His decision comes in the wake of a new poll showing that a broad majority of voters don’t yet have an opinion of the New Jersey governor. And the poll, by CBS News and conducted before Mr. Christie decided not to run, found that just one-third of Republican primary voters say they want him to throw his hat in the ring.   "

A new ABC News/Washington Post poll found higher support for a Christie run at 42 percent, but the question was asked of all Republicans and Republican-leaning independents and not only Republican primary voters as in the CBS News poll. In the ABC News poll, 34 percent did not support his candidacy and 24 percent had no opinion."

Related Articles:

Read: Gov. Christie signs Atlantic City Tourism Bills

Read: CRDA Approves $10 Million for Downtown Atlantic City Revitalization   Read: Arts District

Read: Gov. Christie Announces New CRDA Director John Palmieri

What do you think of Chris Christie's decision not to run for President of the United States in 2012?