Rare News Desk
When New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie sat down for an interview with Fox’s Megyn Kelly Monday, he claimed that he didn’t believe he had too much proverbial baggage to weigh down a possible presidential run.
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“If you don’t have baggage, they’ll create baggage for you. That’s politics in America today,”Christie told Kelly in an exclusive interview.
This statement, and many others like it from Christie, continue what has become the over-arching narrative of Chris Christie: a man using all the charm he has left to deflect criticism and make himself appear the victim of government bureaucracy.
Instead of spending his many hours and days going on the “it wasn’t me” media tour, Christie should be embracing one of the few brands of classic Republicanism he actually subscribes to: his religion.
Christie is a Catholic from New Jersey. While not always the most attractive brand of Christianity, it is one that comes tailor made with all the makings of the type of social conservative that has historically been necessary for republicans to appeal to, especially in the South.
When he spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland last month, Christie seemed hell-bent on reminding the audience that he too is a conservative.
In contrast to his recent media appearances, this speech ignored the Bridgegate scandal and could have just as easily been given at a roadside diner in Iowa (do people actually do that?).
As a Republican governor in a traditionally Democratic state, Christie has faced the uphill battle of not sounding like, or looking like, the archetype of the classic 21st century Republican.
“Tell me, sir, the last pro-life Democrat who was allowed to speak at a Democratic convention? By the way, don’t strain yourself, because there’s never been one. They’re the party of intolerance, not us,” Christie told the CPAC crowd, one of several reminders that he was pro-life.
As the dust refuses to settle around “Bridgegate” and his popularity waning, Christie will look to continue this rhetoric, much like what he said at CPAC, where he reminded the audience that he was the first pro-life Governor of New Jersey since Roe v. Wade.
In doing so, Christie could look to embrace and highlight his Catholic faith.
Dr. Michael Kimmage, a professor at the Catholic University of America believes that by doing so, Christie could amend what he feels his biggest weakness is; if he is a classic conservative, he has to let the people know. By embracing Catholicism, Christie could find support within the party. Many prominent Republicans, including House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) identify as Catholic.
“That would work to Christie’s advantage and it would be a better platform than Romney’s Mormonism was in showing who Christie is, and allowing voters the chance to identify with him,” Kimmage told Rare.
Christie’s brash attitude and failure to highlight his conservatism may not play to a national audience come the next Republican presidential primaries. A series of recent polls indicate that while Christie still has a stronghold among Republican’s in the Northeast, but his popularity lessens when national statistics are accounted for.
Despite a better than expected reception at CPAC, Christie came in fourth in the annual straw poll trailing Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul by over 20 points. In a recent CNN poll, Christie came in fifth. At the Northeast Republican Leadership Conference, a place where Christie should be most popular, he came in second, again trailing Sen. Paul.
While Paul is making a name for himself lambasting against the NSA and preaching smaller government, Christie is perhaps wasting an opportunity to go classic Catholic conservative in the likes of William F. Buckley Jr.
If he is to embrace his Catholic faith, then Christie may want to beef up his rhetoric and explain why he dropped an appeal to stop the legalization of gay marriage in New Jersey.
At the time, a spokesperson said that Christie didn’t agree with the decision, but that he would serve at the will of the people. That position, while good for a politician who wishes to be on the progressive side of his party, may not be one Christie embraces should he choose to seek the oval office.
Christie will also have to explain his decision to ban Tesla Automakers from selling cars directly to consumers in N.J., a decision that certainly didn’t be make him any free-market friends.
Christie is stuck in the middle, reminding people he is pro-life and anti-big government, but ultimately dancing around whether he will be remembered as a social conservative like former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee or focus on classic conservative issues like Sen. Paul.
Dr. Kimmage believes that by embracing his Catholic faith, Christie could only benefit from finding a branch of the Republican Party to allign with.
“We have reached a stage in American politics where there is little division between say a Catholic and a Protestant. I don’t think he has anything to lose by embracing that, there would be nothing he would have to worry about. It’s a remarkable aspect that Catholics have become as central as American politics as any group.”
