Chris Christie Says He Will Not Run in 2012
New Jersey governor Chris Christie announced Tuesday morning that he will not be running for president in the upcoming 2012 election. In a press conference held at the State House in Trenton, Christie told the crowd, "Now is not my time," and that it "never felt right" to abandon his position in New Jersey.
Christie has been consistently adamant about not seeking the republican presidential nomination in 2012, but he was nearly persuaded to change his position on the issue this weekend when several party donors and big-name activists including Henry Kissinger and Nancy Reagan urged him to reconsider.
Many believe the recent pressure put on Christie from members of his party is largely due to the fact that Republicans are unsure of their current stable of presidential candidates, which is currently headed by former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and conservative Texas governor Rick Perry.
Though Christie admitted that the recent wave of support led him to reconsider his opposition to running in 2012, he ultimately stuck to his guns and kept his hat on, joking that the state of New Jersey is "stuck" with him for the time being.
Christie declined Tuesday to publicly support any of the current candidates still in the presidential race, and made no hints of a run at Vice President. But when asked, he did not rule out the idea of a future run for presidency or any other political office.
"I have interest in being employed in the future," Christie said, "and I'm not going to preclude any type of employment."
Christie is up for reelection as New Jersey governor in 2013.
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