New Jersey reelected Republican Gov. Chris Christie to another term by a huge margin Nov. 5, 2013. His victory speech was obviously pitched to the entire country, not just New Jersey, signaling a likely 2016 run for the presidency. He won a majority of the women's vote, the Latino vote, and an unprecedented 33% of the black vote, a segment of the vote most Republicans don't even try for.
Why wouldn't Republicans nominate him as their presidential candidate in 2016? Tea Party rejection in the Midwest and the South, that's why. Gov. Christie is an East Coast phenom. When he hits the Bible Belt in the Midwest (think first-in-the-nation caucus state Iowa), states like Kansas ("What's the Matter with Kansas?"), and the Deep South, Gov. Christie will be as foreign and inimical as the so-called Kenyan in the White House.
The Tea Party won't forgive Chris Christie for seeking federal aid from -- gasp! -- Pres. Barack Obama just prior to the 2012 presidential election. Those photo ops are burned in their unforgiving memory. Never mind the fact that Gov. Christie is pro-life, anti-same sex marriage (listen up, liberals) and has other characteristics that Tea Partiers should love.
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