--- description: In the wake of Jeb Bush’s debate slide, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is more aggressively putting himself forward. title: Christie Seeks Comeback As Bush Slides image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc6d989c3bee57abe/69886f7d8e0601f0c2463265/chris-christie-jeb-bush.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Chris Christie](/tag/chris-christie/) ## Chris Christie Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Chris Christie Seeks Comeback As Jeb Bush Slides by [Zeke J Miller / Council Bluffs, Iowa](/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke J Miller / Council Bluffs, Iowa Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 4, 2015 4:57 AM CUT  Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, speaks at the Growth and Opportunity Party, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday October 31, 2015. Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, speaks at the Growth and Opportunity Party, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday October 31, 2015.Steve Pope—Getty Images by [Zeke J Miller / Council Bluffs, Iowa](/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke J Miller / Council Bluffs, Iowa Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Nov 4, 2015 4:57 AM CUT New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is far from the top tier of Republican candidates, but it would be hard to tell from his campaign events or frequent appearances on cable news. In the wake of Jeb Bush’s debate slide and Donald Trump’s fall from first place in national polls, the brash Garden State governor is more aggressively putting himself forward as the GOP’s other tough guy. Running on experience and his own talent, Christie has sought to capitalize on their troubles and position himself as an alternative to surging Sen. Marco Rubio. “Nobody cares about whether Jeb speaks English or Spanish,” Christie said Tuesday night on Fox News, arguing voters want a candidate who speaks about the issues that matter to them. “Nobody cares about Donald Trump and how much money he made or how many times he’s lost money.” At an over-capacity town hall Friday at the Glory Days bar in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Christie held court for 102 minutes, tackling questions on the federal debt, national security, and reforming healthcare. But he opened by trying to exploit the void created by Bush’s polling collapse among establishment and business-minded Republicans. “She’s not going to be a pushover for anybody,” he says in Council Bluffs of Hillary Clinton, adding the GOP needs someone “who is ready, who has been tested.” Christie has stepped up his efforts to draw contrast with Trump and the senators in the race, placing even greater emphasis on his frequent trumpeting of his record as governor, speaking passionately about his efforts to reform his state’s drug laws and efforts to reach across the aisle to Democrats. **Read More:** [_Christie’s Problem: Bridgegate May Never Go Away_](http://time.com/3844091/chris-christie-bridgegate-indictments/ "undefined") The “tested” narrative is a direct challenge to the fresh faces on the political stage. Indeed, few in the GOP field have been tested quite like Christie—to mixed effect. “I have had many near death experiences and I’m still alive,” he said, alluding to his longevity through the scandal known as Bridgegate that turned him from a front-runner to nearly an also-ran overnight. Christie still gets asked about the affair, in which senior aides were allegedly involved in the politically motivated closure of approach lanes to the George Washington Bridge months before his re-election in 2013\. He maintains his response—firing the offenders immediately, facing the press for two-hours, and cooperating with investigators—was a sign he’ll accept accountability. “I have been tested every way a politician should be tested,” he adds, arguing he has succeeded in the “most aggressive liberal media market” in the nation. In Iowa and New Hampshire, Christie has assembled scrappy teams of younger, well-connected operatives. While paling in size to the Bush operation in Iowa–the largest in the state—Christie locked in more than two-dozen precinct captains for the Feb. 1 caucuses during his two-day swing last weekend alone, outpacing Bush, according to a leaked internal document. Their strategy hinges on converting a better-than-expected showing in Iowa into victory in New Hampshire, where Christie is at just 5% in the polls. **Read More:**[ _Christie to Propose Changes to Social Security_](http://time.com/3821012/chris-christie-social-security-medicare/ "undefined") But there are signs of movement: In New Hampshire, Christie’s favorability in now 10 points higher than Bush’s—a continuation of steady gains overs the last several months—as more Republicans become open to supporting him. And in Iowa, aides are seeing increased interest after his debate performances. As his rivals complained about the debate moderators, Christie became the most aggressive critic of his opponents for fixating on the way CNBC conducted last week’s debate. While agreeing questions were “unfair,” he has repeatedly argued said the attacks on the moderators betrayed his rivals’ unpreparedness for office. “If I think it’s a dumb question, like the other night on fantasy football, I’ll say it’s a dumb question,” he says. “But I’m not worried about this nearly as much as the other guys. If you can’t handle that stage, you got no chance of handling Hillary Clinton next fall and even less of a chance of being an effective president.” “I just think that’s it’s now three times in a row that I’ve done better at the debates,” Christie told TIME of his new confidence. “I’ve done well every time and I think that tells people something—what it tells them is I’m the most tested and ready and mature candidate to run against Hillary Clinton. And I think every debate we have will prove that more and more.” Christie is not the only candidate preparing to capitalize on Bush’s slide. Ohio Gov. John Kasich now says he is “ramping up” his efforts in Iowa—a state he ignored for more than a month—as he and Christie compete on near-identical paths as Bush alternatives. **Read Next:** [_Chris Christie Highlights Glory Days at Campaign Launch_](http://time.com/3940903/chris-christie-campaign-launch-glory-days/ "undefined") ### See Chris Christie's Life in Photos  Chris Christie as an infant in 1963. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  The Christie family, from left to right, Todd, Dawn, and Chris, with mom, Sondra in an undated photo. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  The Christie family, from left to right, Dawn, Todd and Chris, with mom, Sondra and dad, Bill in Singer Island, Fla., in 1974. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  An undated photo of Chris Christie, who played catcher for the Livingston High School varsity baseball team. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie's senior class photo and profile from Livingston High School's yearbook in 1980. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Livingston High School's yearbook profile on Chris Christie in 1980. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  An early photo of Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat where the couple met at the University of Delaware. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie and Mary Pat on their wedding day in 1986. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie, left, is sworn as freeholder, by Senator Joseph Kyrillos, Jr., as Christie’s wife Mary Pat holds the bible and their son Andrew during the Morris County Board of Freeholders reorganization meeting in Morristown, N.J. Patti Sapone—Star-Ledger  The Governor Chris Christie and his family in 1994. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat at the inauguration of former president George W. Bush in Washington on Jan. 20, 2001. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie, center, answers a question on the steps of U.S. District Courthouse in Newark, N.J. on Aug. 13, 2003. Mike Derer—AP  New Jersey Republican nominee for Governor Chris Christie (C) and his running mate Sheriff Kim Guadagno (L) make some phone calls to voters at Monmouth County Republican Headquarters in Freehold, N.J. on Nov. 2, 2009. Hiroko Masuike—Getty Images  New Jersey Governor-elect Chris Christie and wife Mary Pat wave to election-night supporters at Christie's victory celebration in Parsippany, N.J. on Nov. 3, 2009. Stephen Chernin—Getty Images  Governor Chris Christie spends time with his daughter Bridget during Take Our Kids to Work Day in Trenton, N.J. on April 22, 2010. Matt Rainey—Star-Ledger  Talk-show host Oprah Winfrey poses with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, during a live broadcast of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Sept. 24, 2010, in Chicago. Harpo Productions/AP  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie lays a white rose on wreckage pulled from Ground Zero during the memorial dedication to the Empty Sky Memorial at Liberty State Park on Sept. 10, 2011 in Jersey City, N.J. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, center, touches the stones of the Western Wall during his visit to Jerusalem's old city, April 2, 2012. Sebastian Scheiner—AP  President Barack Obama tours 1 World Trade Center with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, center, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, in New York City on, June 14, 2012. Doug Mills—The New York Times/Redux  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie kisses his wife, Mary Pat, at an appearance with the Michigan delegation at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 28, 2012. Max Whittaker—The New York Times/Redux  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla, on Aug. 28, 2012. Stan Honda—AFP/Getty Images  Mitt Romney, Republican presidential candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Bob White, left, a Romney adviser, on Romney's campaign bus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Oct. 10, 2012. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  Governor Chris Christie, Seth Meyers on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update on Nov. 11, 2012. NBC/Getty Images  Governor Chris Christie and President Barack Obama hold a press conference after taking an ariel tour of the damage in New Jersey from Hurricane Sandy and and talking to residents in Brigantine, N.J. on Oct. 31, 2012. Tim Larsen—Governor's Office  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie comforts Kerri Berean whose home was damaged by Hurricane Sandy in Little Ferry, N.J., on Nov. 3, 2012. Tim Larsen—Governor's Office/Reuters  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie appeared on "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012," which aired Dec. 12, 2012. Ida Mae Astute—ABC/Getty Images  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie departs after giving his State of the State address in the assembly chamber in Trenton, N.J. on Jan. 8, 2013\. Christie renewed his calls to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday to quickly pass the full $60.4 billion Superstorm Sandy relief package, saying victims in New Jersey had been short-changed. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  Gov. Chris Christie fixes his tie in his offfice before delivering his State Of The State address at the Statehouse, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, in Trenton, N.J. Edward Keating—Contact for TIME  US President Barack Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (L) walk along the boardwalk as they view rebuilding efforts following last year's Hurricane Sandy in Point Pleasant, N.J. on May 28, 2013. Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie celebrates his re-election in Asbury Park, N.J., on Nov. 5, 2013. Brooks Kraft—Corbis for TIME ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4099291/chris-christie-jeb-bush-establishment/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4099291/chris-christie-jeb-bush-establishment/"},"headline":"Chris Christie Seeks Comeback As Jeb Bush Slides","datePublished":"2015-11-04T04:57:23.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:01:03.598Z","description":"In the wake of Jeb Bush’s debate slide, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is more aggressively putting himself forward.","url":"https://time.com/4099291/chris-christie-jeb-bush-establishment/","keywords":["Chris Christie","2016 Election topic","Sen. 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