As buzz grows over the possibility of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie getting tapped as Republican vice presidential nominee, conservatives are raising more questions about his ideological commitment, reports The Hill.
Despite his general likability, the concern with Christie is that he could be too similar politically to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
Both are seen as politically moderate, which could be a problem for many conservatives in the Republican party. Although Romney has been portrayed as an extreme rightist as of late, he was demonized just a few months ago as a moderate during the Republican nomination contest.
Because he is viewed by some as a moderate, or someone the Republican base is not necessarily enchanted with, Romney’s V.P. choice would almost have to be someone who is widely seen as more conservative than him–someone that would give the overall ticket a better balance and chance of winning.
Christie is typically well-liked because he is seen as a straight-talking, honest man who often times does not filter himself or choose his words carefully. Another concern is that Christie’s often flamboyant personality has served as a distraction from the issues the people of New Jersey face on a daily basis.
Another problem with Romney choosing Christie as his V.P. is Christie’s loud personality could serve up too stark a contrast to that of Romney. Christie could overshadow Romney at the top of the ticket, because Christie is viewed as exciting, and Romney is not.
That could be bad for the GOP because Christie’s personality could overshadow whatever message Romney is trying to get out to the public during election season.
Christie is seen as someone whose relatively moderate decisions while in office on issues such as abortion, immigration and judicial appointments are at odds with the conservative Republican base. According to The Hill:
On abortion, both Christie and Romney have made almost the same journey, both originally being pro-choice before later becoming pro-life.
Christie has admitted to supporting Planned Parenthood in the past, stating “it is also no secret that I am pro-choice.”
The abortion issue alone could send conservatives fleeing if the apparent flip-flops on the issue are dragged into the public spotlight during the debates this fall.
