Christie has used his platform as chair of the Republican Governors Association to carefully rebuild his brand after the George Washington Bridge scandal as he considers a run for president in 2016. But as the party's most public face of the midterms, his influence on the candidates' fates will also be carefully parsed postelection, helping him build an argument for his party's backing or providing fodder for critics already grumbling about some of the RGA's spending choices.
"I'm about winning races, not just making friends," Christie told reporters recently while stumping for a Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Bell in New Jersey.
Christie has already proven a prodigious fundraiser, helping to raise a record of more than $100 million during his tenure as RGA chair. But the outcomes of each race also will matter, especially if he's able to take credit for wins in territory usually written off by the GOP, observers said.
Democratic candidates in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire have seen their leads shrink or disappear in recent weeks, while races in Connecticut and Maine remain dead heats. Wins in states like those could help Christie make the case that his party could benefit from a more moderate candidate who can play in Democratic states, potentially shifting the electoral map.
