PEMBERTON – Jim Saxton, faced with a “plethora” of viable candidates on the Republican side of the aisle, was quick to pick a favorite when asked today who he might support for president in 2016.
“Well, if our hometown favorite runs, certainly I’ll be with him,” Saxton answered, referring to Gov. Chris Christie, moments after PolitickerNJ posed the question. A former 11-term congressman of South Jersey’s third district, Saxton, who appeared here today to stump for Republican candidate Tom MacArthur in his bid against Burlington County Freeholder Aimee Belgard, noted that Gov. Chris Christie is as likely as any prospective candidate to run for president — and probably stands as good a chance, too.
“He’s obviously working very, very hard at it. I mean he’s traveling all over the country as chairman of the [Republican Governors Association] and I think at this point he has as good a chance or better than anybody else,” Saxton said. “His name is household word all across the country, and I think he would make a great president.”
While Christie — increasingly touted as presidential material ahead of the 2016 Republican primaries — would be Saxton’s first choice, the veteran New Jersey congressman also offered a few other candidates he’d consider supporting. Marco Rubio, the junior senator from Florida, was one; and Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, presidential contender, and Christie ally, was another.
“On the other hand there are lots of other good candidates,” Saxton added. “Marco Rubio, of Florida, I met a couple of times and though I don’t know him well, he is a very articulate, intelligent, hardworking guy that I would certainly think would be a good candidate for president or vice president. And there are a number of others — Mitt Romney’s even got his toe in the ring again.”
Notably, many consider either Rubio or Romney to be among that sub-group of potential Republican candidates — which also includes the likes of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and former Florida governor Jeb Bush — that might pose the greatest challenge to a Christie primary bid, should one come to fruition.
