Routinely at the top of the list both of potential Republican presidential candidates and the short list of those who are regarded as serious contenders for the nomination, Chris Christie has overcome a bruising year since his reelection as governor of New Jersey.
Fresh off the so-called Bridgegate scandal and the fallout over his handling of Hurricane Sandy with his nestling up to Barack Obama, poll numbers show he has a great deal of ground to recover before the 2016 cycle heats up.
According to a recent Quinnipiac survey of voters, Christie’s approval/disapproval rating is split 48-47% which gives some insight into his appeal across the political spectrum.
The good news for Camp Christie is that Republicans overwhelmingly approve of his job performance at 82% joined by Independents with an approval of 51%, a coalition which hypothetically would be enough for a general election victory should he become the party’s nominee.
But the approval numbers don’t reside in a vacuum. When included among the list of potential GOP nominees, Christie, who once led the field, now falls behind Jeb Bush and Rand Paul in a respectable third place.
Nevertheless, it is a political eternity between now and the beginning of the state primaries and caucuses in 2016. And whether Jeb Bush will ultimately run for president weighs heavy Christie’s ability to reclaim the top spot.
