Chris Christie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Christie
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Christie in 2023
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| 55th Governor of New Jersey | |
| In office January 19, 2010 – January 16, 2018 |
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| Lieutenant | Kim Guadagno |
| Preceded by | Jon Corzine |
| Succeeded by | Phil Murphy |
| Chair of the Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission | |
| In office March 29, 2017 – November 1, 2017 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Chair of the Republican Governors Association | |
| In office November 21, 2013 – November 20, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Bobby Jindal |
| Succeeded by | Bill Haslam |
| United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey | |
| In office January 17, 2002 – December 1, 2008 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Robert J. Cleary |
| Succeeded by | Ralph Marra |
| Chosen Freeholder of Morris County | |
| In office January 1, 1995 – December 31, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Tamm |
| Succeeded by | John J. Murphy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Christopher James Christie
September 6, 1962 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Mary Pat Foster
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University of Delaware (BA) Seton Hall University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician. He used to be a federal prosecutor. He served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Before becoming governor, he was the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey from 2002 to 2008. He also served as a Morris County commissioner from 1995 to 1997.
Christie was a supporter of Donald Trump during his time as president. However, he later became a strong critic of Trump. This happened after Trump did not accept his loss in the 2020 United States presidential election. It also followed the January 6 Capitol attack. Christie announced his second campaign for president on June 6, 2023. He was seeking the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election. Christie stopped his campaign on January 10, 2024, before the main voting began.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Christie was born on September 6, 1962, in Newark, New Jersey. His mother, Sondra, was a telephone receptionist. His father, Wilbur, was an accountant. His mother's family was from Italy, and his father's family had German, Scottish, and Irish roots.
After the 1967 Newark riots, Christie's family moved to Livingston, New Jersey. He lived there until he finished Livingston High School in 1980. In high school, he was the class president. He also played catcher on the baseball team.
Christie's parents had different political views. His mother was a Democrat, and his father was a Republican. Christie has said his mother encouraged him to volunteer for a politician named Tom Kean. Kean became a role model for him.
Christie went to the University of Delaware and graduated in 1984. He earned a degree in political science. While there, he was the president of the student body. He then went to Seton Hall University School of Law and earned his law degree in 1987.
Early Career in Public Service
Christie was elected as a county freeholder (a local legislator) for Morris County, New Jersey. He served in this role from 1995 to 1998.
He also worked on the campaigns for Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. President George W. Bush later appointed him as the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. He held this job from January 2002 to December 2008. During this time, he oversaw the convictions of many public officials.
In 2009, Christie won the Republican primary election for Governor of New Jersey. He then defeated the current governor, Jon Corzine, in the main election.
Governor of New Jersey (2010–2018)
Chris Christie became the Governor of New Jersey on January 19, 2010. He chose to live in his private home in Mendham Township, New Jersey. He did not move his family into Drumthwacket, which is the governor's official mansion.
State Finances
When he was campaigning for governor, Christie promised not to raise taxes. He also said he wanted to lower state income and business taxes.
As governor, Christie said his yearly budgets did not increase taxes. However, he did reduce some tax credits. These included programs that helped with property tax relief. He also signed a law that limited how much property taxes could grow each year. During his time, the state's main taxes (income, sales, and corporate) did not have rate increases.
In 2010, Christie declared a "state of fiscal emergency." This was because the state had a large budget deficit, meaning it was spending more money than it had. He then proposed a new budget that cut some state departments.
Christie used his power to remove nearly $1 billion from the proposed budget in 2011. He signed it into law just before the state's new fiscal year began. He also signed a law that cut payroll taxes for most employees.
Christie vetoed a "millionaire tax" five times. This tax would have made wealthier people pay more. New Jersey's credit rating was lowered nine times during Christie's time as governor. This meant it was harder for the state to borrow money.
Tax Help for Businesses
In 2013, Christie signed a law to change the state's business tax incentive programs. This law made it easier for smaller companies to get tax credits. It also increased the credits available for businesses in South Jersey.
Public Employee Pensions
In 2010, Christie signed laws to change state pension benefits. Pensions are retirement funds for workers. These laws reduced benefits for future hires. They also required public employees to pay more for their health care.
Later, he called for more cuts to pensions. In 2011, Christie made a deal with state lawmakers. This deal raised public employees' pension payments. It also required the state to make yearly payments into the system. This reform was expected to save the state a lot of money over 30 years.
In 2014, Christie cut payments to New Jersey public workers' pension funds. He did this to deal with a shortage of money in the state budget.
Education Policies
One of Christie's school policies was to give the state more control over school districts. These districts often had many students who were not doing well in school. In Newark, Christie hired Chris Cerf to lead the school district. Cerf made decisions that went against the local school board.
Christie has been criticized for not giving enough money to school districts. Reports said his administration did not follow a law about school funding. His 2017 school funding plan was called "one of the least fair in the country" by education experts.
Christie supports giving tax credits to parents who send their children to private and parochial schools. He also supports school vouchers. These vouchers would help parents pay for private schools or public schools in other towns. Christie also believes teachers should get paid more based on how well they perform.
In 2010, New Jersey did not receive $400 million in federal education grants. This was due to a mistake in the state's application. Christie said the federal government was at fault. However, it was later found that his education commissioner knew about the issue.
In 2011, the Christie administration approved 23 new charter schools. This included the state's first school for children with autism.
In 2012, Christie signed a law that changed how teachers get tenure. Tenure means a teacher has a permanent job. Under the new law, teachers needed to work four years instead of three to get tenure. They also needed good performance ratings.
Energy and Environment
Christie has said that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is too large. He believed it was hurting businesses with permit delays. He wanted to reduce its size and remove its control over fish and wildlife.
Christie aimed to help the state's manufacturing sector grow. He also wanted to increase New Jersey's ability to produce alternative energy. He proposed giving tax credits to businesses that build new wind energy facilities. He also suggested putting solar farms on closed landfills.
In 2011, Christie announced New Jersey would leave the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. This program aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A court later ruled that Christie had acted illegally.
Lawsuit with Exxon Mobil
Christie's administration settled a lawsuit with Exxon Mobil. The company paid $225 million for environmental damage at two sites. This was much less than the $8.9 billion the state's lawyers had asked for. Environmental groups criticized this settlement. They called it "the biggest corporate subsidy in state history."
Farm Animal Welfare
In 2013, Christie vetoed a bill that would have banned gestation crates for pregnant pigs. These crates are small enclosures. Most New Jersey voters supported the ban. He vetoed a similar bill again in 2014.
Minimum Wage and Equal Pay
In 2013, Christie vetoed a bill that would have raised the minimum wage. The minimum wage is the lowest amount an employer can pay workers. Later that year, voters approved raising the minimum wage through a public vote.
In 2012, Christie signed a law that requires employers to tell employees about their rights to equal pay for men and women.
Immigration Policies
Christie believes the border needs to be secure. He has said that being in the U.S. without proper documents is not a crime, but a civil wrong. He believes that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should handle these issues.
In 2013, Christie signed a law that helps some unauthorized immigrants. If they attend high school in New Jersey for at least three years and graduate, they can pay resident rates at state colleges.
Social Issues
Vaccination
Christie stated that parents should have a choice about vaccinations. However, he also said that vaccines are important for public health. He believes children should be vaccinated against diseases like measles.
Gun Control
Christie believes each state should decide its own gun laws. He has supported enforcing New Jersey's current gun laws. In 2018, he signed a law that made "bump stocks" illegal in the state.
Transportation
Christie increased tolls and fares on roads and public transportation in New Jersey. These "user fees" helped fund projects across the state.
In 2010, Christie canceled the Access to the Region's Core project. This project would have built new tunnels under the Hudson River. Christie said he canceled it because the costs were too high. Supporters said it would have created many jobs. After the cancellation, New Jersey had to return money to the federal government.
Republican Governors Association
In November 2013, Christie became the chairman of the Republican Governors Association. This group helps Republican governors get elected. Christie campaigned a lot for Republican governors running for re-election.
Under Christie's leadership, the Republican Governors Association raised a lot of money. They also gained more Republican governors in the 2014 elections. This included new governors in states that usually vote for Democrats.
Presidential Politics
In January 2015, Christie took his first step toward running for president. He formed a political action committee (PAC) to raise money. On June 30, 2015, he officially announced his campaign for president.
Christie stopped his campaign on February 10, 2016. This was after he did not do well in the New Hampshire primary. He received a low percentage of the votes.
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2024 Presidential Election
On June 6, 2023, Chris Christie announced he would run for president again. He filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). He made his announcement at an event in Manchester, New Hampshire.
On January 10, 2024, Christie stopped his presidential campaign. He had focused on winning the New Hampshire primary.
After Being Governor
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In January 2018, Christie joined ABC News as a regular contributor. This means he appeared on their shows often.
Christie published a book called Let Me Finish in January 2019. That same year, he was honored for his role in New Jersey's efforts to allow sports betting.
In 2018, Christie started a lobbying firm called Christie 55 Solutions. A lobbying firm tries to influence government decisions.
In March 2021, Christie joined the board of directors for the New York Mets baseball team. He continued to serve on the board while running for president in 2023.
In September 2024, it was announced that Christie would teach a course about political campaigns at Yale University.
Personal Life
In 1986, Christie married Mary Pat Foster. They met when they were both students at the University of Delaware.
Christie and Mary Pat have four children: Andrew, Sarah, Patrick, and Bridget. The family lives in Mendham Township. They also own a house in Bay Head.
Christie enjoys coaching Little League baseball. He is a fan of the New York Mets baseball team. He also likes to attend Bruce Springsteen concerts. His other favorite sports teams include the New York Knicks (basketball), New York Rangers (hockey), and Dallas Cowboys (football). He is a practicing Catholic.
Images for kids
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Christie speaking to reporters in Hoboken, New Jersey, in July 2007
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George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River, looking west from Manhattan to Fort Lee
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Christie and his family at Island Beach State Park during a state government shutdown
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President Barack Obama and Governor Chris Christie talk with local residents in Brigantine, New Jersey.
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Governor Chris Christie speaking at the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)
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Chris Christie (second to the left) at a Republican Party presidential debate in 2016
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See also
In Spanish: Chris Christie para niños
