So what do you think of Governor Christie's tough criticism of republican leaders in Congress over the delay in voting on Sandy relief funding?

Governor Chris Christie
Governor's Office, Tim Larsen
loading...

Patrick Murray, the Director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, says, "There's no question that Governor Christie's response to what happened in D.C. is going to help him in 2013 in his run for re-election - he showed himself as somebody who puts New Jersey first, it's why his approval ratings went through the roof after hurricane Sandy."

Murray says, "This is a guy who says when it comes to my constituents I'm going to do whatever is right regardless of what the political implications may be. His re-election is almost a certainty because of his ability to put the state first, and to fight for the state no matter who gets in his way."

But how will it affect him down the road? Some national republicans may be upset with the tone Christie took, calling out Speaker Boehner.

But Murray points out, "It's a long time before he's going to get back up on the national stage and make his own run for President potentially in 2016, and it could be that Chris Christie is the last man standing by the time we get to 2016- Speaker Boehner may be history by then."

He adds if Christie is re-elected this fall, and then decides to run for President in 2016, "he'll be able to make the case that look, I'm a guy who can win - do you want to keep re-nominating people who have proven they can't attract across the isle?...He may win over some of those republicans who are upset with him because he doesn't tow the party line all the time…at the end of the day he's setting himself up pretty well for the kind of brand that Chris Christie wants to promote - which is yes, I'm a republican but I put my public service first…down the road it may make it tougher to compete in a republican primary early on, but I think he thinks in a crowded field he will emerge the victor…and it plays to the middle of the road independent voter who is not happy with the way things are going in Washington DC…here's someone who said I'm willing to take on Washington, even if I have to take on my own party, and that's the kind of gutsy leadership that gets you votes from moderates and independents…lots of republicans are saying at the end of the day, this is a guy who can lead our party to victory."

 

More From Cat Country 107.3