If Mitt Romney wouldn't choose Chris Christie, why should N.J. voters

In case you missed it, this op-ed that ran in The Times of Trenton and NJ.com earlier this week.

By Joshua Henne

With Chris Christie's lackluster record at New Jersey's helm, it's no surprise Mitt Romney passed on the Garden State's governor when selecting a running mate.

Ever a shrewd businessman when it comes to enriching himself, Romney knows he would get a poor return on a Christie investment.

In one regard, sure, it would have made sense, since they both look out for the "One Percent," believe corporations are people and share a worldview that promotion of the powerful, super-wealthy and politically connected should be put ahead of the well-being of children, senior citizens and middle-class families.

But it's also obvious that Christie's negatives would outweigh the positives on the national stage. That's why Paul Ryan got the call.

Clearly, Mitt Romney has made many mistakes on the campaign trail.

But he learned at least one lesson from John McCain's biggest folly of 2008. There's no way a presidential candidate could possibly pluck a first-term governor with more sizzle than substance - again.

The parallels between Sarah Palin and Chris Christie are remarkable: Both burst onto the national scene and quickly became addicted to the adulation. And both care more about personal brand, generating headlines and garnering attention than actual results. Neither are team players.

Christie relishes his reputation as a loose cannon.

At one point, his sporadic "straight talk" set him apart from the vanilla political speak we've become far too accustomed to - especially compared to his aloof predecessor. But no longer are these merely isolated incidents that spew from Christie's lips.  Rather, New Jerseyans are now subjected to a steady stream of hair-trigger, out-of-control antics unbefitting a public servant. So, it's a huge question mark as to whether Christie is even cut out for the rigors of a national campaign - where his record can't be glossed over and he'd have to actually answer for his substantial failures.

Once the rest of America looked past the bluster, hype and manufactured YouTube moments, they'd quickly see how New Jersey has unrelentingly trailed the country when it comes to jobs.

From an image standpoint alone, the fact that New Jersey's economy ranks a dismal 47th would remind voters that Massachusetts' economy was 47th in job creation under Gov. Romney.

In June, New Jersey's unemployment jumped nearly half a point, which was the largest monthly spike since 2009. The rate rose again in July to 9.8 percent, as the state lost another 12,000 jobs – 7,100 of which were in the private sector. Today, New Jersey's unemployment stands a full 1.5 percent higher than the nation's rate. This is the widest gulf from the national average since Jimmy Carter's first months in office.

Job creation and retention aren't the only areas where the governor has been a disappointment. Christie is the A-Rod of politics - lots of ego-driven, self-serving stats and self-promotion, but little by way of tangible benefits to the team (the residents of the state).

While Christie's policies have surely warmed the hearts of right-wing think tanks everywhere, they've had a chilling effect on New Jersey's families.

Property taxes have increased a staggering 20.4 percent since he took office, and one in every three children is now considered poor. New Jersey is also home to the second-highest percentage of mortgage loans in foreclosure in America, even though rates across the country are falling to their lowest levels since 2008. And due to Christie greasing the wheels for corporations at the expense of small businesses on Main Street, New Jersey's business climate ranking has slipped all the way down to 41st.

From the moment he lifted his hand off the Bible, Christie's been looking to trade up from the Trenton Statehouse to a grander stage. And he's used his constituents as stepping stones to accomplish this goal. Christie has taken his eyes off doing the work needed to make life better for New Jersey's families, and instead spends boundless time and energy on a magical mystery tour promoting his own objectives. With priorities like that, why would Romney ever want someone who cared more about personal ambition than doing the actual job at hand? As a running mate, Christie would have simply used the opportunity to audition for a future gig at Romney's expense - just as he's pursued regressive policies at the expense of New Jersey's middle class.

Yes, Christie and Romney share an agenda of looking out for those in the upper echelon of the economic strata while leaving everyone else in the dust. However, Christie's political baggage, fiscal shenanigans and abject failures would have been far too much of a distraction over the campaign's stretch run. Christie would bring virtually nothing to the table. Even worse, he would cut at the very heart of what little narrative Romney has left and torpedo his Hail Mary pass for the Oval Office. 

If Mitt Romney wouldn't choose Christie, why should New Jersey voters when he stands for re-election? The governor can only hope Romney wins the White House and hands him a plum Cabinet post. This way, Christie can enjoy a face-saving exit before he has to answer at the polls next year.

Joshua Henne is co-founder of White Horse Strategies, a communications and political consulting firm, and spokesman for One New Jersey. Find him on Twitter@JoshuaHenne.

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One New Jersey is shining a light on politicians who act against the best interests of New Jersey’s residents and who seek to divide our state for their own political gain. It is giving voice to the important issues that affect our daily lives. One New Jersey will closely monitor policy positions and actions of elected officials and expose their records on the issues that matter. You can follow One New Jersey on Twitter (@OneNJ) or search for “One New Jersey” on Facebook.