Chris Christie for president in 2012?

Stu Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report, told TheDC that while Christie is “a hot property right now” it was a “stretch” to imagine Christie actually mounting a presidential campaign.

“The 2012 presidential race is going to start in about 3 months. The idea that he’s going to turn around now and start a two-year campaign is a stretch,” said Rothenberg.

McLaughlin, however, said that with such a wide open race on the Republican side, anything could happen.

“This is the most wide-open-nomination process in the history of the modern GOP,” he said. “There really are no front runners. Anyone has a shot.”

When contacted by TheDC, Christie’s office declined to comment for this story.