To the editor:
All New Jerseyans can agree that this January has been a detrimental month for Governor Christie. Between the released information about the closed lanes on the George Washington Bridge and Hoboken’s withheld Sandy relief aid, Gov. Christie has spent the past two weeks in damage control mode, and he will likely stay there for the weeks to come.
The heat of the scandals will lift, but Christie’s reputation will not be left unscathed. Between “Bridgegate” and the developing issues regarding Sandy relief aid, Christie has tarnished his image as the straight forward, no-nonsense politician. Will this destroy his reputation as governor? Probably not. Will this cause him problems in a 2016 primary? Likely it will.
However, the governor is by no means out of the running for the GOP presidential nomination. He has proven himself as an executive that can address the tough issue, a trait that the Washington needs desperately. He delivered several balanced budgets without raising state taxes. He managed to pass bipartisan reforms on the pensions of state employees and the tenure system in New Jersey’s schools. And Gov. Christie’s leadership during Hurricane Sandy showed that he can deal with a crisis and reach across the aisle.
As a New Jersey Republican, I still think that Gov. Christie is the best candidate that the GOP has in the 2016. I fear, though, that the developments of the past month have changed the views of many Christie supporters, both inside and outside of New Jersey.
Matthew Seelig
Hillsborough
