Christie opens political tour stumping for Meehan in Delco

By the time New Jersey's governor arrived in Delaware County on Monday to help a fellow Republican, the loud slashing sounds from Trenton had already reached the ears of the lunch crowd at the Llanerch Diner.

"I'm a Democrat, but Christie looks like a force," said Joe Hussey, a Havertown senior eating at the Upper Darby fixture. Hussey said he is no fan of Gov. Christie's budget cuts and pension-reform plans. "He's doing a lot of things in New Jersey . . . a lot of things that not a lot of people like."

But Republicans across the country can't get enough of the rookie governor, who kicked off a monthlong national political tour with a fund-raiser at the Springfield Country Club for Patrick Meehan, the GOP nominee in a battleground congressional district.

"In some circles, he's been talked about as a potential presidential candidate," said Michael Puppio, head of the Springfield Township Republicans. Over the roar of applause, Puppio assured Christie he would have strong support in Delaware County if he decided to run.

Close to 400 people paid at least $200 to attend the fund-raiser. The event raised $175,000 and put Meehan over the $2 million mark for money raised since he entered the race.

Meehan, 54, a former U.S. attorney from Drexel Hill, faces Democrat Bryan Lentz, 46, a two-term state representative from Swarthmore. At the last campaign-financing filing deadline, Lentz trailed Meehan by about $300,000 in cash on hand. Both national parties are targeting the race in the Seventh District, which includes parts of Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester Counties.

Christie befriended Meehan when both were U.S. attorneys in their respective states. Christie said he "will stand with [Meehan] every minute of every day" until he is elected. "Of all the people that I will campaign for across the country . . . there will be no more heartfelt endorsement and no more welcome introduction than the one I'm making tonight."

Christie will head to Los Angeles and New Mexico later this week, and Iowa by the end of the month, his office said. He's also scheduled to campaign in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Connecticut.

Christie regaled the crowd with his battles against Democrats in New Jersey, and how he vetoed a proposed budget that included tax increases within the first minute it was offered to him. The crowd cheered when he said he closed an $11 billion budget shortfall, decreased spending by 9 percent, and capped property tax increases at 2 percent.

"Prosecutors - we're required to back up what we say," he said. "I brought that prosecutor's attitude to the governor's office in New Jersey. Folks now understand, when I say something in New Jersey, I mean it, and I'm willing to fight for it."

Lentz's campaign manager, Kevin McTigue, criticized Meehan for allowing reporters to attend events with more moderate Republicans like Christie while agreeing to bar them from an off-the-record tea party chat this month. The Independence Hall Tea Party Association PAC has endorsed Meehan.

"Pat Meehan can trot out all the 'moderates' like Chris Christie that he wants, but the fact of the matter is that he's advertising himself as the tea party candidate and attending their closed-door, off-the-record meetings," McTigue said. "Voters in the Seventh District deserve to know whether Meehan agrees with the tea party and their Sarah Palin politics."

Before the speeches began, Puppio said Christie's 2009 victory over Gov. Jon S. Corzine marked the beginning of what some pollsters and pundits call a tide turning strongly toward Republican candidates. And Christie's personality has endeared him to Republicans in Delaware County, said County GOP Chairman Andrew Reilly.

"Christie connects with the common man; he's a straight talker and a straight shooter," he said.