Christie’s Approval Rating Soars

photo credit: bob jagendorfNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has seen a dramatic bump in his approval rating in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the super-storm that pummeled his home state late last month.

The Republican governor, who served as the keynote speaker at this year’s Republican National Convention and is widely considered a potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate, is now seen favorably by 67 percent of New Jersey voters. That’s a rise of 19 percentage points from October in the poll from Rutgers University released Wednesday.

Christie will face reelection next year, and is likely to face popular Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) in the contest. But if the governor is able to solidify some of the gains earned by his handling of the storm’s aftermath, he could significantly improve his chances of winning a second term.

But there is a concern that Christie’s short-term reward for working closely with President Obama could hurt his long-term prospects within the Republican Party. Already, some prominent conservatives have argued that Christie’s embrace of the president in the days following the storm hurt GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s electoral chances.

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