New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) knows best, at least when it comes to fatherhood.
After a year filled with less-than-flattering accolades, Christie was named the 2014 Father of the Year by the Father’s Day/Mother’s Day Council, the group announced Monday.
“It kind of came out of nowhere,” Christie told The New York Times “I was really surprised.”
The New Jersey Governor, father to Sarah, Bridget, Patrick and Andrew, frequently weaves anecdotes on the joys of fatherhood into speeches and at town hall meetings. Christie attends many of his children’s sporting events and sometimes lets his kids take over the microphone during his “Ask the Governor” radio shows, The Times reported.
But when it came time to share the news with his brood, Christie said, his children were a bit surprised.
“Their initial reaction, to be honest, was to laugh,” the 2016 presidential hopeful said. “They were like, ‘Father of the year for New Jersey?'”
No, for the whole country, Christie corrected.
The governor and shoe designer Vince Camuto, who also received the award, will be honored at a charity dinner in New York City in June.
Fathers of the Year are chosen based on their dedication to “family, citizenship, charity, civility, responsibility and reverence.”
Past honorees include President Bill Clinton, Major League Baseball star Jackie Robinson, wrestler Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump. The award was started in 1942, with Gen. Douglas MacArthur as the inaugural recipient.
“It’s not bad company to be in,” Christie said of past winners. “I think what it tells you is that there are all different kinds of fathers. … I never thought I’d be on the same list as Hulk Hogan.”
Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, had their first child when he was 31. Christie maintains quite the busy schedule as governor — and 2016 presidential hopeful — and admitted that juggling fatherhood isn’t always easy.
“I don’t always do it perfect, but I am always trying to get it right,” he said.
