Christie Considers Gun Bill, Presidential Aspirations

Jersey governor can please his state or conservative activists. But not both.

Conservative activists across the country are watching to see if N.J. Gov. Chris Christie will sign or veto a bill that reduces the allowable size of ammo magazines from 15 to 10 rounds.  While his presidential aspirations have been damaged by Bridgegate, he’s not necessarily out of the running in 2016 yet: Conservatives say he probably would end his candidacy by signing the bill.

The conservative Washington Times reports:

“Christie will either veto the magazine restriction bill, or kiss his presidential aspirations goodbye,” a headline of the gun rights website Bearingarms.com read.

“Any candidate that doesn’t do well in these early primaries can kiss their presidential aspirations goodbye and one of the fastest ways to sink a Republican nomination in the current political environment is to be seen as a champion of gun control,” said Bob Owens, the author of the Bearingarms.com piece.

But there’s pressure from the other side, too. The Star-Ledger reports:

Parents of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings have come to Trenton twice to push for the legislation, and may show up again for the expected final Assembly vote, said Bryan Miller, executive director of the faith-based anti-violence organization Heeding God’s Call.

Miller said he hopes Christie will put the voters of his own state — where polls have shown support for stricter gun control measures — ahead of those presidential primary states.

“I’m hopeful, let’s put it that way. I’m hopeful because it’s such an easily understood and popular measure,” Miller said. “I’m hoping that he’ll realize that vetoing such a bill is going to cost him dearly in his home state.”

Christie has thus far refused to take a stand. After the legislature passes the bill — expected next week — he has 45 days to make a decision.