Despite a tough month back home in New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie broke fundraising records in January as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, an aide told The Daily Caller.
“This January, with the help of Chairman Christie and all of our Republican Governors, the RGA raised $6 million,” RGA communications director Gail Gitcho said in a statement.
“That is more than twice as much that has ever been raised during the same month in RGA history, and twice as much that was raised in the last comparable cycle (2010) in the same month,” Gitcho said.
Christie continues to face questions over the so-called bridge-gate scandal, specifically why members of his administration closed lanes to the George Washington Bridge bridge last year.
Because of that scandal, critics are questioning whether Christie should continue leading the RGA during the bridge-gate aftermath.
On Monday, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough said of Christie: “The fact is right now, he’s a distraction to the RGA. … If Republicans’ job is electing governors and you got a guy running the RGA that has Republican candidates running away from him, that’s a serious problem.”
But Christie is showing no signs of letting up on his RGA duties. He takes off Tuesday for fundraisers in Illinois. Last week, Christie traveled to Texas and raised $1.5 million for the organization.
He has plans to fundraise in Massachusetts, Utah, Georgia, Connecticut and Michigan too.
“The RGA has solid financial footing to elect and re-elect Republican Governors in the 36 gubernatorial races this year, and is in strong position to counter the public sector union influence on the other side,” Gitcho said.
