New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is squaring off with residents of his state about an eminent domain action he took this week. While Donald Trump has gained more attention for his support of the empowering the government to seize private land for public use, Christie has been much more brazen.
The governor filed an eminent domain action against the city of Margate for the purpose of constructing dunes designed to protect against flooding from hurricanes and other powerful storms. When Hurricane Joaquin rolled up the Atlantic coast last week, the governor expressed his outrage at Margate residents’ desire to block his actions.
“We’re wasting time and taxpayer money in court in cases that we ultimately will win on eminent domain to build these dunes to protect the people and the property of the people of the State of New Jersey,” Christie said. “To towns like Margate, you are amongst the most selfish people in the state of New Jersey. And if this hurricane had come to shore, the damage that would have been done to lives and property in Margate, I hope it’s worth the vanity act you’re all engaging in because we’re going to win eventually. But you’re just costing the state taxpayers’ money and you’re costing your fellow citizens — potentially, if we have another bad storm — their property and their lives.”
Regardless of whether Christie’s eminent domain action succeeds in New Jersey, it could hurt him in the GOP presidential primary. Trump has suffered from criticism of his support for eminent domain, and Christie’s brash approach to the issue may likewise turn off conservative pundits. Christie, who ranks ninth in the Washington Examiner‘s most recent presidential power rankings, also finishes ninth in Real Clear Politics’ average of national polling.
