Politics & Government

Christie on a candidate's appeal : "Voting is much more visceral"

David Lightman - McClatchy Washington Bureau

November 05, 2013 06:01 PM

Polls will close shortly in Virginia (7 p.m.) and New Jersey (8 p.m.), as the two states choose governors. Republican Chris Christie is expected to win big in New Jersey, while Democrat Terry McAuliffe is favored in Virginia.

If Christie wins easily, Republicans will undoubtedly paint it as a triumph in a "blue" Democratic state. Democrats are likely to counter the win was a victory for the blunt, colorful Christie himself, not the party.

Christie addressed the comments in an interview Tuesday with CNN's Jake Tapper.

"It's why they're losing, because they think that that's the way people make decisions. It's kind of what I was implying in the last answer. They think that people go down a checklist of issues and like a pro and con and they draw a line down the middle of the sheet and they go, well, OK, if there's more checks for this person than for that person, then that's the person I vote for.

"That's not the way people vote, in my experience. I think that voting is much more visceral. People say, can I trust this person? Do they lead, do they tell me the truth? They look at the issues, too, but that analysis from that Democrat is just like as if people are robots, and they just check a list. They don't do that.

"And I think if we win tonight, it will be, I believe, an affirmation of leadership, in that you don't have to agree with the candidate 100 percent of the time. I say this to folks in town hall meetings all the time. If you're looking for the candidate you agree with 100 percent of the time, go home and look in the mirror, because you're it. You're the only person you agree with 100 percent of the time.

"And if we demand that of candidates, then you know what they are going to do? They will just lie to you. They figure you want to hear that, they will lie to you and then they will go do something else. I don't think people want that. And I think that's why I have gotten some leeway from people in New Jersey about areas where we disagree, because at least they know I'm telling the truth."

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