New Jersey loves Chris Christie. But the Garden State powerhouse is doing more than just stroking Atlantic City regulars; he's taking the nation by storm and has positioned himself to be one of the greatest bipartisan politicians of our time.
Christie is viewed favorably among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents with little contrast in approval ratings across party lines; a characteristic that was nowhere to be found in the 2012 presidential election, according to Public Policy Polling. The finding only reinforces the rumors that he's got a shot at the Republican presidential ticket in 2016 against another celebrity and political heavyweight, Hilary Clinton.
Christie really began shaping his national fame after Hurricane Sandy pummeled the East Coast last October. The governor reacted immediately, reaching out across the aisle and even received some harsh criticism after he aligned himself with President Barack Obama's efforts during the tragedy.
Since then, he has become one of America's biggest celebrities, loved by many regardless of political affiliation, and is undoubtedly one of the last notable indications of bipartisanship in the Republican party.
Christie's even making a splash 3,000 miles away in traditionally progressive territory, Silicon Valley. Already friends with Mark Zuckerberg, Christie has been growing his network to include other tech superstars, including the founder of DropBox, CEO of LinkedIn, and vice president of Microsoft, raising nearly $300,000 for his re-election campaign against Democratic state Senator Barbara Buono.
Fortifying his lead in Jersey polls, Christie tapped into the Hispanic market in his state, and on Friday, released a Spanish-language political ad - the first ever for his campaign - called, "Orgullo de New Jersey," which means "New Jersey pride."
The move could prove to be beneficial for Christie now and in 2016 as New Jersey is currently home to the seventh-largest Hispanic population in the U.S., with a reported 1.6 million residents. Among those, 677,000 are registered voters.
