TRENTON – Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey has decided not to seek the presidency, according to two associates of the New Jersey governor. Mr Christie was scheduled to announce his decision yesterday at a news conference in the state capital at 1pm.
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 Barack Obama.
But Mr Christie, who was elected governor in 2009, had long said 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.
With Mr Christie out, attention will quickly turn back to the rivalry between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. Polls suggest that Mr Perry’s support has dropped significantly after recent problems on the campaign trail and in debates.
Mr Romney, meanwhile, continues to have difficulty earning the support of the Tea Party and other conservatives.
Those urging Mr Perry to run said they believed his tough-talking style would contrast well with that of the president. But his more moderate views on gun control, climate change and immigration might well have hurt him in places where conservatives make up a large share of the voters. – (New York Times)