New Jersey donors have given big to the Republican Governors Association since 2009, when Chris Christie first ran for govenor, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
In 2013, donations from the Garden State totaled $2.6 million — the highest total in a decade. In 2009, donations from his state totaled about $2 million. The Journal framed the numbers as “a sign of [Christie’s] efforts to recruit contributions for an influential group that could nurture a 2016 presidential run.”
“Governor Christie is a strong and effective fundraiser for the RGA,” the organization’s Executive Director Phil Cox told the Journal in a written statement. “Donors across the country continue to respond to his leadership.”
Christie was elected chairman of the RGA in November. Last week, the association announced that it had raised $6 million in January, a record for that month, despite the scandals that have swirled around Christie since the start of the year.