They were dismayed when, over their pointed objections, he became the first Republican governor to sign a law barring licensed therapists from trying to reduce or eliminate same-sex attraction in children, a move they see as a liberal-driven encroachment on freedom of speech and parental rights. They were troubled by his early embrace of Common Core education standards, a totem of big government overreach to many conservatives. And they were frustrated by his refusal to appeal the New Jersey Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage last year.
“A tremendous mistake,” said Brian S. Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage.
They reserve their deepest disapproval, however, for his judicial appointments, an issue that has taken on greater urgency now that the role of courts has rapidly expanded, in determining issues as broad as state education funding to same-sex marriage.
Mr. Christie’s first appointment to the State Supreme Court was Anne M. Patterson, a Republican who he promised would never use “legal precedent to set social and tax policies.” Two years later, she broke with Mr. Christie and voted to allow same-sex marriage in New Jersey. This year, in a deal with Democratic lawmakers, Mr. Christie agreed to renominate Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, a Democrat with a liberal judicial record.
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