Chris Christie is not the most popular man in New Jersey. On Sunday, he harmed his popularity more than once thought possible. He spent the day hanging out at a beach in his state, relaxing and soaking up the sun with some family members. What's wrong with that? Well, the beach was a profit site for him on this day - and not because the people of New Jersey had something better to do or because it's Christie's property as, most certainly, it isn't.
Christie and the beach
Christie started his Sunday at Island Beach State Park, located in Berkeley Township, New Jersey.
Photos taken by NJ Advanced Media showed him lounging on a beach chair, surrounded by about ten members of his family or friends. He appeared to be in a jovial mood, and who wouldn't be on their own private beach, one closed to taxpayers because of a government shutdown in progress?
Gov. Chris Christie and family soak up sun on state beach he closed to the public. @AndyMills_NJ https://t.co/5NfFIv4IWX pic.twitter.com/nnWVxw5XT1
— Tony Dearing (@TonyDearing) July 2, 2017
Later in the day, the governor went to Trenton to address the shutdown during a news conference. He claimed that he didn't have any chance to enjoy the sun on the beautiful day, but the jig was quickly up. Later, a spokesman for Christie sarcastically told the press that the governor's statement ran true because a baseball hat prevented him from truly soaking up the sun.
Later, Christie even suggested that he was entitled to do as he pleased by virtue of being the governor of the state.
Christie's popularity plummets
This latest incident is just another nail in the coffin of Christie's time in charge of the state of New Jersey. His popularity reaches all-time lows every time a new poll is taken, especially since his embarrassing presidential run in 2016.
According to a poll taken in mid-April, Christie has the lowest approval rating of any governor in the entire country. His disapproval rating at that time was at a staggering 71 percent.
Beyond the brief presidential foray, his tenure has been marred by scandal and controversy. The most famous of them was the Fort Lee lane closure, when the George Washington Bridge was virtually shut down, supposedly as revenge for a local government's issues with the governor.
His rivalry and then close allegiance with President Donald Trump also didn't help manners. Now, people simply can't wait for him to be gone. Christie can't seem to wait either, judging by how he is flaunting his prestige in the face of state citizens who don't get to enjoy the same luxuries he does during a government shutdown.
