Chris Christie Returning to N.J. Ahead of Storm

He said he hopes to return to the Granite State on Sunday

Chris Christie announced Friday that he is cancelling some of his New Hampshire events and returning to New Jersey to deal with this weekend's storm.

The New Jersey governor made the announcement at an event in Littleton, New Hampshire, on Friday. He was scheduled to make two additional stops in the state on Friday and four on Saturday as he campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination.

He said his wife, Mary Pat, will remain in New Hampshire, and he hopes to return on Sunday, when he has three stops scheduled, including a New England Patriots AFC Championship Game watch party in Hampton Falls.

Christie had said Thursday that he planned to continue campaigning despite the blizzard threatening his state. He has spent more time in New Hampshire than any other active presidential candidate.

"We've gone through this rodeo a bunch of times before. We know how to do it," Christie told Philly.com. He said the state was "preparing for the worst," and that he "gave everybody their assignments" during a call on Wednesday night.

Since catching flak for spending the first big snowstorm after he entered office in 2010 at Disney World with his family, Christie has put himself front and center during preparation for summer and winter storms alike, driving home public safety and preparedness messages to frazzled residents.

During Hurricane Irene a year later, Christie snapped into action, telling people to "get the hell off the beach."

Superstorm Sandy struck in 2012 and Christie stood shoulder to shoulder with President Barack Obama, touring the seaside devastation and browbeating Republican lawmakers for dragging their feet on approving aid for the shore. His approval ratings soared, and he won re-election a year later with 60 percent of the vote.

In October, he returned from the campaign trail when it appeared that Hurricane Joaquin was going to slam into the shore.

Christie spent the majority of 2015 out of the state while campaigning, leaving Guadagno as acting governor. He has repeatedly defended his absence saying that he talks to his Cabinet regularly and uses technology to keep up with government.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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