New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) underwent lap-band stomach surgery in February in order to lose weight, according to a New York Post report.
“I’ve struggled with this issue for 20 years,” he told the Post. “For me, this is about turning 50 and looking at my children and wanting to be there for them.”
The Garden State governor said he agreed to the operation at the urging of friends and family after he turned 50 in September. According to the report, records show Christie checked into a surgery center on Feb. 16 under a false name.
Lap-band stomach surgery involves inserting a silicon tube around the top of the stomach, restricting the amount of food one can eat and making you feel fuller during the process. As one of the most popular governors in the country, Christie denied that the surgery was motivated by any desire to run for president.
“It’s so much more important than that,” he said. “I know it sounds crazy to say that running for president is minor, but in the grand scheme of things, it was looking at Mary Pat and the kids and going, ‘I have to do this for them, even if I don’t give a crap about myself.'”
Christie remains an overwhelming favorite heading into his re-election next year. Fifty-eight percent of Garden State voters say they would vote for him, compared to only 26 percent saying they would vote for his Democratic challenger, state Sen. Barbara Buono, according to Quinnipiac University poll released last month.
