Chris Christie and his family were spotted via aerial photographs at Island Beach State Park in Berkeley Township, New Jersey, over the weekend, a beach that Christie himself Shut down to the public only days earlier.
Chris Christie on this empty beach is yet another reminder that conservatives only care about themselves. #ChrisChristie pic.twitter.com/kMdLdIoZId
— Tommy Campbell (@MrTommyCampbell) July 3, 2017
Christie and New Jersey’s Democrat-led Legislature failed to reach a deal that would restructure the budget of insurance company Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.
As a result, Christie shut down several state-funded locations just days before the Fourth of July holiday weekend, including several state beaches, parks, Workers Compensation Courts, and the state Motor Vehicle Commission.
Reporters Confront Christie
Reporters at Christie's press conference this weekend didn’t hesitate to bring up his earlier visit to one of the state beaches affected by the shutdown. Christie’s response? "The governor has a residence at Island Beach. Others don’t," he said. "Run for governor and you can have the residence."
Everyone who tried to visit state beaches like Island Beach this weekend was turned away by police, creating further dissatisfaction with Christie among many New Jersey residents.
Christie already faces historically-low approval ratings of 15 percent, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll.
The Beginning of the End for Chris Christie
The Republican governor’s steady loss of popularity began in 2013 after an investigation uncovered that Christie’s deputy chief of staff Bridget Ann Kelly instigated a major traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge entering New York City, during which the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey closed two lanes on the bridge.
The lanes were closed in retaliation against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, who didn’t endorse Christie in his 2013 bid for reelection. Christie claimed he was unaware of the incident and wasn't involved in it.
Other incidents that led to his increasing unpopularity among New Jersey residents included his harsh criticism of Philadelphia sports fans, many of whom reside in southern New Jersey, as "the worst in America." In 2015, Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, covered the costs of Christie’s travel fare and ticket to the Cowboys’ playoff game.
This led many to accuse the governor of defying New Jersey’s ethics rules that strictly prohibit officeholders from accepting gifts that are in any way related to their duties.
His strong support for Republican President Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election and his brief stint as leader of Trump’s transition team following the election didn’t sit well either with New Jerseyans, causing many to feel that Christie had abandoned the interests and wellbeing of the consistently blue state.
Christie’s term will end in January 2018. His role will be assumed by either Republican candidate and current Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey Kim Guadagno, or by Democratic candidate Phil Murphy, former Goldman Sachs executive and United States Ambassador to Germany under the Obama administration.
