Chris Christie Confirms He Won’t Be Running

Despite the GOP’s pressure to get New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to join the race to run for US President, Christie confirmed once again he will not be running. 

Fox News broke the story Tuesday afternoon.

The GOP has expressed concerns over the current pool of candidates, in particular Texas Governor Rick Perry, who was widely panned for his performance at last week’s Republican debate.

Last week, Gambling911.com reported on how Christie has failed to support the latest initiative to legalize sports betting in New Jersey despite going on record saying he would back such a measure. 

Our own Thomas Somach noted that Christie might say he supports gambling, but his actions make it seem otherwise.

While he too is no great friend of the gambling industry--despite running a state where gambling mecca Atlantic City is located--he's not an enemy either, unlike the Perry-Bachmann-Romney troika.

Earlier this year, when the New Jersey legislature presented him with a bill to sign that would have legalized Internet gambling in the state, he vetoed the bill.

But in vetoing it, he said he wasn't opposed to legalizing Internet gambling.

He said he vetoed the bill because he believes that except for horse racing, the state constitution only permits gambling in Atlantic City, and the bill would have legalized it statewide.

If the legislature really wants statewide Internet gambling, Christie said, it should have the voters in the state vote on and approve a referendum that would do so.

Christie could have used the veto in hopes of delaying any state measure.  It was widely reported that the powerful casino industry had pressured the Governor into vetoing the bill in question to allow for federal legislation to pass in the meantime.  That has yet to happen.

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher