Will New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul finally bury the hatchet after their apparent feud?
The Daily Caller has learned that Christie has been invited to join Paul when the libertarian-leaning Republican travels to New Jersey for a campaign appearance next month.
Paul is heading to Clark, N.J., on Sept. 13 to campaign for Steve Lonegan, the Republican nominee in the state for the U.S. Senate. Lonegan, a former mayor, is running against Booker, the Democratic mayor of Newark.
A spokesman for Lonegan confirmed to TheDC on Monday that Paul will attend the “Victory and Liberty Rally.” The campaign event is being organized by Lonegan’s Senate campaign, which has invited Christie to the event.
“Governor Christie has been invited, and we hope that his schedule will permit him to attend,” said spokesman Will Gattenby.
It’s not clear yet whether Christie will accept the invitation. Representatives for Christie didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from TheDC over the Labor Day weekend.
Paul’s trip to New Jersey comes after the two Republicans have gone back and forth recently on matters of foreign policy and national security. Within the party, Paul is viewed as non-interventionist. Christie is seen as hawkish.
Last month, Paul extended an olive branch of sorts — an invitation to Christie for a brew in D.C.
“I’m inviting him to a beer — anytime he would like to come down and sit down at the pub right around the corner from the Senate,” Paul said on Fox News.
But Christie appeared to decline Paul’s offer, at least for the moment, saying on the radio that he’s too busy running for re-election.
“I’m running for re-election in New Jersey, I don’t really have time for that at the moment,” Christie told a local radio host. “If I find myself down in Washington I’ll certainly look him up, but I don’t suspect I’ll be there anytime soon, I’ve got work to do here.”
Both Christie and Paul are thought of as potential candidates for president in 2016.
UPDATE: A spokesman for Christie says the governor will not be able to campaign with Paul due to a scheduling conflict. “The Governor and Mrs. Christie have longstanding plans to celebrate her 50th birthday over that weekend, so he will not be in attendance,” Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts told TheDC.
UPDATE II: Christie was also asked about Paul during an availability on Tuesday. “In a choice between Mary Pat Christie and Rand Paul, it’s no choice for me. So, I’ll be with Mary Pat.”
