Christie faces pressure to make call on 2016

“He’ll have to explain the pensions,” Mr. Langone said of a state public-worker system that is about $90 billion in debt and has worsened after Mr. Christie didn’t make promised contributions.

Mr. Christie has told donors privately that the bridge scandal will have no more implications for him and that he hopes to negotiate some policies this coming year to address New Jersey economic problems.

The prospect of Mr. Bush’s entering the race poses challenges for other potential candidates, such as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , the former governor’s onetime protégé who shares an overlapping network of donors and supporters.