New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Monday had harsh words for Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D), calling him a "failed" governor and accusing Illinois' Democratic leadership of "using every trick in the book" to fend off a challenge from Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner.
Speaking to a crowd of campaign volunteers at Rauner's downtown Chicago campaign headquarters, Christie said Democrats' push for same-day voter registration for the Nov. 4 election in Illinois was a sign that "the governor is in the toilet and needs as much help as he can get," the Chicago Tribune reports. Ten other states are moving to allow same-day voter registration this year.
Christie, a potential presidential candidate, went on to call Quinn a "miserably unpopular" governor who has "failed" in his leadership of the state, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Last week the non-partisan State Board of Elections determined that the Green Party had not gathered enough valid petition signatures to put a candidate on the ballot, but Christie claimed the successful qualification of Libertarian candidate is a sign that local Democrats are attempting to stack the deck for their incumbent.
"You people in Illinois make New Jersey people blush," Christie added Monday, the Sun-Times reported. "Every obstacle that can be placed in front of Bruce by the establishment in this state will be placed in front of him. The great news is he's strong enough to overcome those."
While in Chicago, Christie also attended a fundraising event for the Republican Governors Association, of which he is chairman.
Vice President Joe Biden was also in Chicago on Monday and appeared at a minimum wage roundtable event alongside Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, as well as a Quinn fundraising event.
"Governor, if there's anybody I know who starts off with his gut and heart when people are concerned, it's you," Biden said to Quinn after the roundtable, according to NBC Chicago.
The showdown between Quinn and Rauner, a wealthy venture capitalist running for public office for the first time, is expected to be one of this fall's most closely contested and expensive gubernatorial races. The latest HuffPost Pollster composite of polling on the race indicates Rauner currently has a seven percentage point edge over Quinn:
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