New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie earned his sixth congressional endorsement when Rep. Susan Brooks of Indiana pledged her support on Friday.
He has the second-most congressional endorsements of any GOP presidential candidate not actively serving in the U.S. Congress, and trails only Jeb Bush who has 29 congressional endorsements.
Brooks shares a similar past with Christie, as they both are former U.S. attorneys.
“As the threat of ISIS continues to grow, America needs a strong, experienced leader who will put our country’s safety and security first,” Brooks said in a statement shared by the Christie campaign. “As a former U.S. Attorney, I know Governor Christie has the background to stand behind our law enforcement and support the necessary programs to ensure the safety and security of the American people.”
Brooks sits on the House Select Committee on Benghazi, which is investigating the 2012 terrorist attacks on the U.S. consulate in Libya and heard testimony from Hillary Clinton in October. Christie has spoken publicly of his desire to “prosecute” the Democratic presidential candidate.
“The question is, who’s going to prosecute Hillary Clinton?” Christie asked during a GOP presidential debate in September. “The Obama White House seems to have no interest, the Justice Department seems to have no interest. I think it’s time to put a former federal prosecutor on the same stage as Hillary Clinton, and I will prosecute her during those debates on that stage for the record that we’re talking about here.”
But the governor did not mention Clinton in a statement expressing his gratitude for Brooks’ endorsement. Instead, he praised Brooks’ support for law enforcement and said she would serve an “integral” role in building a national campaign. Christie ranks fourth in the Washington Examiner‘s newest GOP presidential power rankings.
