Governor Chris Christie Garners Liberal Support
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie toured through California this past week, passing through liberal strongholds to raise money for his re-election campaign.
Christie visited Beverly Hills on Sunday, kicking off his three day campaign trip through California. He visited a luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel where over 30 people from the entertainment industry attended at $3,800 per ticket. The event was hosted by former Dick Clark Productions CEO Allen Shapiro and US Digital Gaming co-founder Richard Bronson. According to the New York Post, attendees included New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, Modern Family actress Sofia Vergara, former Disney Executive Vice President Gary Wilson, and the Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Peter Guber.
Governor Chris Christie arrived in Silicon Valley on Tuesday where Mark Zuckerberg hosted a private fundraiser for Christie at his Palo Alto home. The Facebook CEO and billionaire supported President Obama during the last election. Zuckerberg, whose company was the first social media organization to receive a GLAAD award, has frustrated some Democrats by showing support for a Republican governor who struck down a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in this state.
According to BuzzFeed, some Democrats fear that Christie’s liberal northeastern state and national popularity masks his conservative record. Other Democrats appreciated Christie’s praising Obama’s leadership in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which many saw as an endorsement of the President that helped to sway undecided voters just days before the election.
Christie has called for gun control to be a part of the national discussion in the wake of the shooting in Newton, Connecticut. In addition, Newsmax reports that New Jersey has the second toughest gun control statues in the country. Christie did not enact these statutes, but he has not championed repealing them either. He has, however, opposed creating new gun sanctions, claiming that the current laws are sufficient.
Christie has to appeal to liberals if he hopes to remain Governor Chris Christie after New Jersey’s next election. While he does not want to lose the support of his party, his state went for Obama 58 percent to 41 percent in 2012, and this is a reality he cannot ignore.
Image via L.E.MORMILE / Shutterstock.com
