AP: Christie to embrace underdog role as he launches 2016 bid

Credit: Reuters/Carlo Allegri

By Jill Colvin, Jun. 28, 2015, Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — When New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie enters the race for president this week, he'll do so as an underdog.

The launch of the Republican governor's White House campaign is the culmination of years of groundwork that began even before his landslide re-election to a second term as governor in 2013, but one nearly felled by scandal and a descent from his standing as one of the nation's most popular state leaders to a politician whose approval ratings have reached record lows at home.

It's a reality Christie and his supporters are ready to embrace, not that they have a choice.

"Clearly, he's got some uphill work to be done," said Ken Langone, a co-founder of Home Depot and one of Christie's most vocal cheerleaders. "But I think it can be done."

In recent months, Christie's team has tried to re-establish him as a credible candidate chock-full of policy prescriptions. His aides and supporters talk about his charismatic personality, quick wit and plain-spoken manner, which they believe can win over voters at town hall events and on debate stages.

With so many candidates in the field — Christie will be the 14th major Republican to enter the race, with two more likely before summer's end — and no clear front-runner, they say they can forge a path to the GOP nomination.

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