Chris Christie

Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party, he was the United States attorney for the District of New Jersey from 2002 to 2008 and a Morris County commissioner from 1995 to 1997. He was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 and 2024.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Christie graduated from the University of Delaware in 1984 and later earned a J.D. at Seton Hall University School of Law. He began his political career as a volunteer for Republican Thomas Kean's 1981 gubernatorial campaign. In 1994, Christie was elected as a county freeholder (legislator) for Morris County, New Jersey. His campaign that year was met with criticism as he had made several false statements about his opponent's legal issues. This criticism led to Christie losing his 1996 Republican primary reelection campaign. He later worked for the 2000 presidential campaign of George W. Bush; after Bush became president, he appointed Christie U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, a position he held from January 2002 to December 2008. During his tenure, he oversaw the convictions of 130 public officials from both local and state levels.