Call it the Christie Primary.
Pawlenty, Mitt Romney and Haley Barbour have all dined with the first-term governor — each in hopes that he may eventually bestow his support, a sort-of seal of good housekeeping for fiscal conservatives, on him. Other hopefuls are likely to follow, say New Jersey Republicans.
That Christie, governor for just over a year, can command such attention is a testament to the following he’s already garnered among party activists who’ve probably only seen him on TV or on YouTube but who consider him a rockstar for his combative approach to politics and for slashing spending. Beyond the power players in traditional early states, there are few other officials being wooed in such a fashion.
Sources close to Christie indicate that he’s closest to Barbour and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels but also has a relationship with Romney and Pawlenty.
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