N.J. Politics Roundup: Christie angry over Buono's remark; Rand Paul to stump for Lonegan

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday criticized state Sen. Barbara Buono, his Democratic opponent in this year's gubernatorial race, for making allusions to his weight at a recent campaign event.

An online video of the events shows Buono joking that images of the governor "frolicking on the beach" in his "Stronger than the Storm" TV commercials do not make her want to go to the Jersey Shore.

Rand Paul to stump for Lonegan next week, but Christie won't be there

TRENTON — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, who has publicly feuded with Gov. Chris Christie over national security and Hurricane Sandy relief, will be in New Jersey next week to campaign for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Steve Lonegan.

Lonegan’s campaign announced today that Paul (R-Ky.) will endorse Lonegan at a rally in Clark on Friday, Sept. 13.

Lonegan is running against the Democratic Newark Mayor Cory Booker in an Oct. 16 special election to fill the seat held by the late Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.).

But expect the governor to be a no-show for the event. Christie told reporters during an unrelated press conference he has a getaway planned for his wife's 50th birthday.

I had to choose — it was a very tough choice ... but I had to choose between my wife and Rand Paul," Christie said. "And it’s Mary Pat’s 50th birthday that weekend and I’m taking her away, just the two of us for her 50th birthday. We’re leaving Friday morning, we won’t get back until Sunday night. And in a choice between Mary Pat Christie and Rand Paul, it’s no choice for me. So, I’ll be with Mary Pat."
 

Christie and Paul — both considered potential contenders for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 — spent part of July sniping at each other through statements to the press.

The spat began when Christie, talking about national security, criticized a “strain of Libertarianism” in both parties. Paul then criticized Christie and other leaders of having a “gimme gimme gimme” attitude over Sandy aid, which caused Christie to accuse Paul of “pork barrel spending” in his own state. Paul then called Christie the “king of Bacon.”

Christie also spurned a peace offering from Paul to have a beer together.

Since Lonegan won the Republican nomination to succeed Lautenberg, Christie has endorsed him and campaigned for him. But the two have a tense history, having run against each other in the sometimes nasty 2009 GOP gubernatorial primary. And Lonegan often criticized Christie as governor.

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