Total Jabroni Launches Campaign, Will Probably Skip Iowa

Chris Christie officially kicked-off his campaign today, branding himself as the “Telling It Like It Is” candidate. A Governor who’s built a following based on his charisma and combative personality, Christie becomes the 14th official Republican candidate in the race. He hopes his tough-talking persona will win over Republicans wanting someone with a little more toughness in the Oval Office, but it may be rubbing some the wrong way as his star has significantly fallen in recent years.

There’s also plenty of signs that competing in the Iowa Caucus won’t be high on his list of priorities. He’s skipped nearly all of the multi-candidate Republican events in Iowa this year, and has only made a few trips through the caucus state in 2015. Instead, he’s focused considerably more time in New Hampshire.

“Forget Iowa,” his top contributor, billionaire Ken Langone and adviser was quoted saying today in National Journal. “I say to you, the hell with Iowa, I’m trying to point out to you, I think the key election is New Hampshire.”

“Look, you got to look at Iowa and that’s those old ladies with knitting needles sitting around living rooms — I don’t understand it,” he added.

The feeling in Iowa may be mutual. Despite Christie being once seen as a front-runner for the nomination, a number of scandals and his sometimes caustic attitude has caused most Republicans to view him as just a big jabroni. His favorability rating was badly underwater in the last Des Moines Register poll, with only 28% of Iowa Republican caucus-goers holding a favorable view of him, while 58% saw him in a unfavorable light. 45% of those Republicans said they would never consider Christie, second-worst only to Donald Trump.

by Pat Rynard
Posted 6/30/15