Christopher James Christie Born in Newark, New Jersey, Christie was raised in Livingston, New Jersey. After graduating in 1984 from the University of Delaware, he earned a J.D. at Seton Hall University School of Law. Christie was elected as a county freeholder (legislator) for Morris County, New Jersey, serving from 1995 to 1998. He worked for the campaigns of Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush; the latter appointed him U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, a position he held from January 2002 to December 2008. During his tenure, he oversaw the convictions of 130 public officials from both local and state levels.

Christie won the 2009 Republican primary for Governor of New Jersey and defeated Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine in the general election. In his first term, he was credited with cutting spending, capping property tax growth and engaging in recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy. He was re-elected by a wide margin in 2013, defeating State Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono.[1] Christie’s second term saw multiple controversies, namely the Fort Lee lane closure and his various absences from the state.[2][3] He chaired the Republican Governors Association during the 2014 campaign. On June 30, 2015, he announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election, but he suspended his candidacy six months later following a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary. Later, he endorsed eventual winner Donald Trump and was named head of Trump’s transition planning team.[4] His term as governor expired in 2018 and he registered as a lobbyist in 2020.[5]

Christie was a close ally of Trump during his presidency, but later emerged as a harsh critic of Trump following Trump’s refusal to accept his loss in the 2020 United States presidential election and the subsequent January 6 Capitol attack.[6][7][8][9] On June 6, 2023, he announced his second presidential campaign for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election.[8]

Early life and education

Christie was born on September 6, 1962,[10] in Newark, New Jersey, to Sondra A. (nee Grasso), a telephone receptionist, and Wilbur James “Bill” Christie, a certified public accountant who graduated from Rutgers Business School.[11][12][13] His mother was of Italian (Sicilian) ancestry, and his father is of German, Scottish, and Irish descent.[14][15][16][17][18] Christie’s family moved to Livingston, New Jersey, after the 1967 Newark riots,[19] and Christie lived there until he graduated from Livingston High School in 1980.[20] At Livingston, Christie served as class president, played catcher for the baseball team,[19] and was selected as a New Jersey Representative to the United States Senate Youth Program.

Christie’s father and mother were Republican and Democratic, respectively. He has credited his Democratic-leaning mother for indirectly making him a Republican by encouraging him to volunteer for the gubernatorial candidate who became his role model, Tom Kean.[12] Christie had become interested in Kean after the politician, then a state legislator, spoke to Christie’s junior high school class.[19]

Christie graduated from the University of Delaware in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science; while there, he served as president of the student body.[21] He graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law with a J.D. in 1987. He was admitted to the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Bar of the United States District Court, District of New Jersey, in December 1987. He was awarded honorary doctorate degrees by Rutgers University and Monmouth University in 2010.[22][23]

Law practice and local politics

Lawyer

In 1987, Christie joined the law firm of Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci of Cranford, New Jersey.[24] In 1993, he was named a partner in the firm.[24] Christie specialized in securities law, appellate practice, election law, and government affairs. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the New Jersey State Bar Association and was a member of the Election Law Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. From 1999 to 2001, Christie was registered statehouse lobbyist for Dughi and Hewit.[25]

Morris County Freeholder

Christie volunteered for President George H. W. Bush‘s 1992 re-election campaign in New Jersey and became close to Bush’s state director, Bill Palatucci. Following the campaign, Christie decided to run for office and moved to Mendham Township. In 1993, Christie launched a primary challenge against the New Jersey Senate Majority Leader, John H. Dorsey. However, Christie’s campaign ended after Dorsey successfully challenged the validity of Christie’s petition to appear on the ballot.[19]

In 1994, Christie was elected as a Republican to the Board of County Commissioners, or legislators, for Morris County, New Jersey, after he and a running mate defeated incumbents in the party primary. Following the election, the defeated incumbents filed a defamation lawsuit against Christie based on statements made during the primary campaign.[26] Christie had incorrectly stated that the incumbents were under “investigation” for violating certain local laws. The lawsuit was settled out of court, with Christie acknowledging that the prosecutor had convened an “inquiry” instead of an “investigation”, and apologizing for the error, which he said was unintentional.[27][28]