Fresh off Governor Mitt Romney’s “47 percent” firestorm, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had a message for friends and foes alike in his own state: He’s everybody’s governor.
Answering a question about President Obama’s Affordable Care Act during a town hall event in Elwood Park, N.J. today, Christie told one questioner, “I’m the governor of every citizen in this state, not just the ones who voted for me, but the governor of every citizen of our state.”
The remark was not a direct reference to the newly unearthed video of Governor Romney telling donors at a Boca Raton fundraiser that it was not his job to “worry” about the 47 percent of the country who don’t pay income taxes or convince them they should ”take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”
Still, even if it wasn’t a direct reference to Romney, don’t assume that Christie’s statements come in a vacuum. It’s possible that the potential 2016 candidate may be sending a subtle signal to New Jerseyans that he doesn’t think the way his party’s leader does. As a popular governor of a blue state seeking re-election next year, it will be interesting to see if Christie comes to Romney’s defense on this one.
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