Chris Christie moves sharply into the GOP betting

With time getting very tight for new contenders to enter the race to be the Republican party’s nominee for next year’s White House there’s been a rush of punters trying to get on Chris Christie – the heavyweight governor of New Jersey’s who’s become the favoured choice of the party establishment.

The New York Times reports that “….Those pushing Mr. Christie to run include the media mogul Rupert Murdoch, former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, Nancy Reagan and the conservative columnist William Kristol.

Mr. Christie has become particularly popular among those establishment Republicans and major party donors who are seeking a candidate who could be a more exciting alternative — and one with potentially broader appeal — than one of the perceived front-runners, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

The push to recruit him intensified after Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, who had been seen as a promising alternative, received poor debate performance reviews two weeks ago…“

So far he’s keeping his option open though there’ve been signs that we could get an announcement one way or the other this week – possibly by Wednesday.

A key factor for Christie could be that Obama looks increasingly vulnerable. If he doesn’t run now then he risks another Republican becoming president and him being effectively blocked out for a possible eight years.

Rupert Murdoch’s backing looks important if only because he owns so much of the US media.

I got on Christie last week at an average 11/1, He’s now much tighter than that.

@MikeSmithsonPB